Hall Currents and the Ejection of Prominences by Sunspots

Abstract

During the growth of sunspots induced electric fields may be expected to be set up in the surrounding atmosphere. It is shown that, because of the comparatively low conductivity perpendicular to lines of magnetic force, there are localized regions where large space charges occur, resulting in large electric fields perpendicular to the lines of magnetic force. Consequently both positive and negative charges drift in the same sense in a direction which is at right angles to the electric and magnetic fields, giving rise to a general movement of the gas. The drift velocities are difficult to estimate, but appear to be of the order of magnitude of those found in eruptive prominences.