Failed prominence eruptions near 24 cycle maximum

Abstract

We analyse 16 failed filament eruptions observed near 24 solar cycle maximum from 2013 May to 2014 July. No significant rotation of filament spines is observed during the ascent in all studied failed eruptions, which does not support kink-instability mechanism of triggering the eruptions. We calculate potential magnetic field distributions in the corona above the initial locations of the filaments to study their height dependence. In seven events, the vertical profiles of the decay index n are monotonic. The other nine events occur in the regions with the switchback or saddle-like n-profiles. The direction of the horizontal field near the saddle bottom is turned through more than 100° relative its direction at the initial filament position, which reveals the quadrupolar magnetic configuration with null points in these regions. The eruptive filaments stop above the null points where the total Lorentz force is directed upward. The most reasonable force that can terminate filament ascending and balance the Lorentz force seems the gravity.