High-resolution observations of prominence plume formation with the new vacuum solar telescope

Prominence plumes are evacuated upflows that emerge from bubbles below prominences,whose formation mechanism is still unclear.Here we present a detailed study of plumes in a quiescent prominence using the high-resolution Hαfiltergrams at the line center as well as line wing at±0.4 A from the New Vacuum Solar Telescope.Enhancements of brightening,blue shifts,and turbulence at the fronts of plumes are found during their formation.Some large plumes split at their heads and finger-shaped structures are formed between them.Blue-shifted flows along the bubble-prominence interface are found before and during the plume formation.Our observations are consistent with the hypothesis that prominence plumes are related to coupled Kelvin-Helmholtz and Rayleigh-Taylor(KH/RT)instabilities.Plume splittings and fingers are evidence of RT instability,and the flows may increase the growth rate of KH/RT instabilities.However,the significant turbulence at plume fronts may suggest that the RT instability is triggered by the plumes penetrating into the prominence.In this scenario,extra mechanisms are necessary to drive the plumes.