Co- and counter-helicity interaction between two adjacent laboratory prominences

The interaction between two side-by-side solar prominence-like plasmas has been studied using a four-electrode magnetized plasma source that can impose a wide variety of surface boundary conditions. When the source is arranged to create two prominences with the same helicity ~co-helicity!, it is observed that helicity transfer from one prominence to the other causes the receiving prominence to erupt sooner and faster than the transmitting prominence. When the source is arranged to create two prominences with opposite helicity ~counter-helicity!, it is observed that upon merging, prominences wrap around each other to form closely spaced, writhing turns of plasma. This is followed by appearance of a distinct bright region in the middle and order of magnitude higher emission of soft x rays. The four-electrode device has also been used to change the angle of the neutral line and so form more pronounced S-shapes. © 2004 American Institute of Physics. @DOI: 10.1063/1.1724831#