Application of a new technique for deriving prominence mass from SOHO BIT Fe XII (19.5 nm) absorption features

In a previous study we developed a new technique for deriving prominence mass by observing how much coronal radiation in the Fe XII (19.5 nm) spectral line is absorbed by prominence material. In the present work we apply this new method, which allows us to consider the effects of both foreground and background radiation in our calculations, to a sample of different types of prominences (eruptive, quiescent, and surging) observed during the period 1999 July through 2004 July. The masses of prominences involved in CMEs are not generally measured, but the accurate determination of such masses may help in assessing the dynamical importance of prominences in CME events. In the present study, we find the average mass of our sample of quiescent prominences to be 4.18 × 10¹⁴ g, while the average mass of the eruptive prominences is 9.09 × 10¹⁴ g, and that of surges is 1.53 × 10¹⁴ g.