Britannica AI Icon

transient solar prominence

astronomy
Also known as: active solar prominence, short-lived solar prominence, transient prominence(Show More)

Quick Summary

A transient solar prominence is a dynamic eruption of incandescent, ionized gas from the Sun's chromosphere into its corona. Unlike Earth's clouds, these solar phenomena are supported by magnetic fields. They are a key part of solar activity and can manifest as sprays or surges, often associated with solar flares. These eruptions eject material at high speeds and can cause shock waves in the corona, known as coronal mass ejections, which can impact Earth's magnetic field. Transient prominences are distinct from quiescent prominences, which are longer-lived and associated with large-scale magnetic fields.12

Summary created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.

Ask Britannica AI about this topic

Britannica doesn't have a full article on this topic, so we've curated a list of our relevant coverage.