Asymmetric Structure of Quiescent Filament Channels Observed by Hinode/XRT and STEREO/EUVI

Abstract

We present a study on the structure of quiescent filament channels observed by Hinode/XRT and STEREO/EUVI from December 2006 to February 2009. For 10 channels identified on the solar disk, we find that the emission on the two sides of the channel is asymmetric in both X-rays and EUV: one side has curved bright features while the other side has straight faint features. We interpret the results in terms of a magnetic flux rope model. The asymmetry in the emission is due to the variation in axial magnetic flux along the channel, which causes one polarity to turn into the flux rope, while the field lines from the other polarity are open or connected to very distant sources. For 70 channels identified by cavities at the limb, the asymmetry cannot be clearly identified.