This review paper outlines background information and covers recent advances made via the analysis of spectra and images of prominence plasma and the increased sophistication of non-LTE (i.e., when there is a departure from Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium) radiative transfer models. We first describe the spectral inversion techniques that have been used to infer the plasma parameters important for the general properties of the prominence plasma in both its cool core and the hotter prominence-corona transition region. We also review studies devoted to the observation of bulk motions of the prominence plasma and to the determination of prominence mass. However, a simple inversion of spectroscopic data usually fails when the lines become optically thick at certain wavelengths. Therefore, complex non-LTE models become necessary. We thus present the basics of non-LTE radiative transfer theory and the associated multi-level radiative transfer problems. The main results of one-and two-dimensional models of the prominences and their fine-structures are presented. We then discuss the energy balance in various prominence models. Finally, we outline the outstanding observational and theoretical questions, and the directions for future progress in our understanding of solar prominences.

Enhanced continuum brightness is observed in many flares ("white light flares"), yet it is still unclear which processes contribute to the emission. To understand the transport of energy needed to account for this emission, we must first identify both the emission processes and the emission source regions. Possibilities include heating in the chromosphere causing optically thin or thick emission from free-bound transitions of Hydrogen, and heating of the photosphere causing enhanced H − continuum brightness. To investigate these possibilities, we combine observations from IRIS, SDO/HMI, and the ground-based FIRS instrument, covering wavelengths in the far-UV, near-UV, visible, and infrared during the X1 flare SOL20140329T17:48. Fits of blackbody spectra to infrared and visible wavelengths are reasonable, yielding radiation temperatures ∼6000-6300 K. The NUV emission, formed in the upper photosphere under undisturbed conditions, exceeds these simple fits during the flare, requiring extra emission from the Balmer continuum in the chromosphere. Thus, the continuum originates from enhanced radiation from photosphere (visible-IR) and chromosphere (NUV). From the standard thick-target flare model, we calculate the energy of the nonthermal electrons observed by RHESSI and compare it to the energy radiated by the continuum emission. We find that the energy contained in most electrons >40 keV, or alternatively, of ∼10-20% of electrons >20 keV is sufficient to explain the extra continuum emission of ∼ 4 − 8 × 10 10 erg s −1 cm −2 . Also, from the timing of the RHESSI HXR and the IRIS observations, we conclude that the NUV continuum is emitted nearly instantaneously when HXR emission is observed with a time difference of no more than 15 s.

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is a new powerful tool for observing the Sun at high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution. These capabilities can address a broad range of fundamental scientific questions in solar physics. The radiation observed by ALMA originates mostly from the chromosphere -a complex and dynamic region between the photosphere and corona, which plays a crucial role in the transport of energy and matter and, ultimately, the heating of the outer layers of the solar atmosphere. Based on first solar test observations, strategies for regular solar campaigns are currently being developed. State-of-the-art numerical simulations of the solar atmosphere and modeling of instrumental effects can help constrain and optimize future observing modes for ALMA. Here we present a short technical description of ALMA and an overview of past efforts and future possibilities for solar observations at submillimeter and millimeter wavelengths. In addition, selected numerical simulations and observations at other wavelengths demonstrate ALMA's scientific potential for studying the Sun for a large range of science cases.

Abstract. In this paper we construct theoretical models for vertical prominence threads which are in magnetohydrostatic (MHS) equilibrium. These models are fully two-dimensional (2D) and take the form of vertically infinite threads hanging in a horizontal magnetic field. A typical example of such a 2D magnetic-dip structure is shown for the case when the central cool parts are surrounded by the prominence-corona transition region (PCTR). We display 2D variations of the pressure, density and temperature. While the pressure variations follow from the MHS equilibrium, the kinetic temperature was specified empirically. As a next step, we have solved the 2D multilevel non-LTE transfer problem in such thread-like structures, in order to predict the spatial variations of the emergent hydrogen spectrum. It is demonstrated that the hydrogen Lyman lines (treated with partial redistribution) show significant spatial variations of the intensity and that an important difference exists between the line profiles emergent along and across the magnetic field lines. We also discuss how these intensity variations compare to recent SOHO/SUMER prominence observations, namely we show the effects of line-profile averaging over the fine-structure threads which are below the instrumental resolution. Finally we make some suggestions for future modelling and observations.