The relationship between prominence eruptions and coronal mass ejections

The SOHO observations with LASCO and EIT present an ideal opportunity to study the relationship between prominence eruptions and coronal mass ejections (CME). High-cadence measurements of prominence eruptions demonstrate that the prominence eruption is not generally the cause of the associated CME, but that it is more probable that the destabilisation of the CME in fact releases the constraints on the prominence, causing it to erupt. We report here selected observations of associated CMEs and prominence eruptions covering the period of SOHO operations from mid-January 1996 to October 1999. In addition to the causality, we find that in general the projected speed of the prominence eruption matches fairly closely the projected speed of the associated CME, but it is always lower. Furthermore, the prominence eruption is generally simply one facet of the coronal transient activity, of which there are often several other discrete parts. The prominence eruption is also generally offset in heliolatitude from the centre of the CME.     

Regularities in the Formation of Coronal Mass Ejections Associated and not Associated with Type II Radio Bursts

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - Regularities in the formation of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) associated (Radio Loud, RL CME) and not associated (Radio Quiet, RQ CME) with type II radio bursts (RBIIs)...     

New Approaches to the Identification of Sources and the Onset of Stealth Coronal Mass Ejections

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - New approaches to the identification of sources and the onset of stealth coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are discussed based on the stealth CME of July 7, 2012. It is...     

Disturbed region and a shock wave driven by a coronal mass ejection

The existence of a disturbed region in front of a coronal mass ejection (CME) has been proved; its variation with increasing CME velocity has been investigated. It has been shown that a plasma density discontinuity, which can be interpreted as a shock wave, is formed in front of the disturbed region at CME velocities that are about or above the local Alfvén velocity. Within the experimental error, the observed shock-front width is estimated to be about the mean free path for proton-proton collisions at distances R < 15−20 R _⊙ from the center of the Sun; i.e., the energy dissipation mechanism in the front is conceivably collisional at these distances.     

Spectral-temporal peculiarities of the microwave emission preceding geoeffective coronal mass ejections

Data on the complex of wave and spectral phenomena in the sporadic microwave emission that are associated with the formation and initial propagation of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the solar atmosphere are presented. Their characteristic time interval extends from 2–3 days preceding the event to the time of CME recording on coronagraphs.     

冕洞阻碍太阳高能粒子事件形成的典型事例分析

通过对比两次快速晕状日冕物质抛射(CME)事件,分析相应的日面和行星际的观测资料,发现源区距离冕洞较远的CME引起了极强的太阳高能粒子(Solar Energetic Particle,SEP)事件,而源区非常靠近冕洞的CME则没有引起大的SEP事件.该结果表明,冕洞可能对CME形成SEP事件有阻碍作用.继而分析1997～2003年所有爆发在冕洞边缘的快速晕状CME,发现源区离冕洞距离小于02Rs(太阳半径)的CME均没有引起大的SEP事件.从而进一步证实了冕洞可能对邻近CME形成大SEP事件有影响,它阻碍SEP事件的形成.最后讨论了冕洞阻碍CME形成大SEP事件的可能原因.     

The magnetic topology of a sigmoid

Recent surveys of solar features have linked the “sigmoid-to-arcade” scenario observed in the soft X-ray corona to coronal mass ejection (CME) onset (Geophys. Res. Lett. 26 (1999) 627, Geophys. Res. Lett. 14 (1998) 2481). Further to these observations, incorporation of extreme-ultraviolet, white light and H-alpha data into such a survey (Geophys. Res. Lett. 27 (2000) 2161) has illustrated the need for a quantitative definition of the term “sigmoid” and further understanding of such features if they are to be used as a means by which to predict CME onset. We analyse two sample active regions in detail, each appearing both sigmoidal and eruptive in Yohkoh soft X-ray telescope (SXT) full-disk data. Both regions were observed during October 1997 and each produced a flare displaying eruptive characteristics. In each case, formation of a flare-arcade was observed by both SXT and the extreme ultraviolet imaging telescope (EIT) following the event. EUV dimming and coronal EIT waves were also observed in each case. We have studied each active region both before and after eruption using soft X-ray, EUV and H-alpha data. A linear force-free field extrapolation has also been applied as a means by which to determine the active region field deviation from potential in each case. Each active region was observed to erupt by means of a different mechanism and while both events show signatures of eruption and consequently, mass ejection, only one produced a CME large enough to be observed by the SoHO large angle spectroscopic coronagraph. The implications of these observations in terms of CME prediction are discussed.     

Changes in the solar magnetic field preceding a coronal mass ejection

The combined observing power of the Yohkoh, SOHO and TRACE spacecraft, along with the continuing ground-based observations has proved invaluable for the detection of changes in the magnetic morphology preceding coronal mass ejections (CMEs). A wide range of activity from small scale dimmings to large scale eruptions covering half the solar disk have been observed. The relationship between flares and CMEs has also become clearer. Rather than one event causing the other it would seem that it is a global change in the magnetic field which causes both. Recently, there has been a lot of interest in the sigmoid (S-shaped) structures seen in soft X-rays. The likelihood of a CME occurring appears to increase if there is a sigmoidal structure observed. This has formed the basis of more extensive studies into predicting the time and location of a CME from the changes in behaviour of features on the solar disk.     

太阳质子事件、双带耀斑及日冕物质抛射

本文统计了第２２ 太阳活动周期间（１９９１ ～１９９５ 年） 发生的２５ 个太阳质子事件与太阳耀斑及日冕物质抛射（ＣＭＥ） 事件的关系　　统计结果表明, 所有的太阳质子事件都与耀斑发生相关, 除２ 个质子事件（１９９４１０２０ 和１９９５１０２０ 日发生的太阳质子事件） 与ＣＭＥ发生无关, 其余质子事件也都与ＣＭＥ 相关　　值得注意的是, 与质子事件相关的耀斑有１６ 个是双带耀斑, 其中包括与ＣＭＥ无关的２ 个事件的耀斑, 占总数的６４ ％ 　　上述统计结果证实了无论是太阳耀斑, 还是物质抛射, 它们对太阳质子事件的发生同样起着非常重要的作用     

Method for determining the parameters of full halo coronal mass ejections

A method for determining the parameters of halo-type coronal mass ejections (full halo CMEs)—direction of motion, angular size, CME velocity along the Sun-Earth axis, etc.—has been proposed and tested. The method is based on the found empirical dependence between the angular sizes of CMEs located near the sky plane and angular sizes of associated eruptive prominences or post-eruptive arcades as well as on the relationships between the halo CME parameters derived in a simple geometrical CME model. Using this method and the SOHO/LASCO C3 and SOHO/EIT data, the parameters of 33 full halo CMEs have been determined. It is concluded that (1) the trajectories of all considered full halo CMEs deviate with recession of the CME front to R _F > (2–5)R ₀ toward the Sun-Earth axis; (2) the majority of full halo CMEs recorded by LASCO C3 coronagraphs have relatively large angular sizes, 2α > 60°.     

基于多视角观测的SEP事件与twin-CME关系研究

本文联合SOHO和STEREO-A/B（三视角）日冕观测和太阳高能粒子（SEP）观测,分析了2007—2014年间169个快速（速度>900 km·s^-1）、宽角度（>60°）日冕物质抛射（CME）及其先行CME和关联SEP事件.通过相关分析,给出了SOHO/EPHIN 25~53MeV及STEREO/HET 23.8~60 MeV能量范围的大SEP事件通量判断阈值,分别为0.01和0.014（cm²·s·sr·MeV）^-1.三视角CME观测能有效地避免投影效应产生的twin-CME事件误判,统计得到单一视角确定twin-CME事件的误判率一般低于10%,最高不超过15%.基于三视角判断的twin-CME事件及SEP事件峰值强度,得到判断twin-CME事件的时间阈值最短约为9 h（9~13 h）.single-CME产生的SEP事件强度与CME速度、动能的相关性明显高于twin-CME,并且三视角下的相关性结果与单视角类似.结果表明,一个主CME可能存在多个先行CME,依据单卫星观测判断先行CME时有一定的误判几率,但少数单个先行CME的误判并不影响基于单卫星的统计规律或统计结果.     

高能质子能谱特征在日冕物质抛射影响预报中的应用

日冕物质抛射(CME)的规模和对地有效性是地磁暴预报中重点关注的特征.本项研究的目的是通过对行星际高能质子通量和能谱的特征与演化规律的分析,得到CME对粒子的加速能力,评估CME可能对地磁场造成的影响.在工作中,统计分析了ACE/EPAM的1998-2010年的质子数据,对质子能谱进行了拟合,得到了能谱指数,并对能谱指数及其变化特征所对应的CME和地磁暴进行了相关统计.通过研究发现:(1)能谱指数随着太阳活动水平而变化,高年最大,达到-2.6,而且涨落幅度也达到±0.4,而在太阳活动低年则稳定在-3.0左右;(2)CME对粒子的加速对应着能谱指数的升高,幅度达到20%时,CME引起地磁暴的可能性较大;(3)冕洞高速流到达地球时,高能质子通量也会升高,但能谱指数同时会有下降;(4)以2004年全年的能谱指数为例,对能谱指数在地磁暴预报中的应用进行了评估,结论认为,能谱指数的升高是CME引发地磁暴的必要条件,可以作为地磁暴预报的参数使用.     

Energy of coronal mass ejections and large-scale structure of solar magnetic fields

The relationship between variations of the energy and linear velocity of coronal mass ejections (CME) and the typical dimensions of structural elements of the large-scale solar magnetic field structure (LSMFS) is investigated for the period of 1996–2014. It is shown that the maximum linear velocity and maximum energy of CME correspond to the values of the effective solar multipole index n ~ 4.0–4.4. These values determine the maximum size of the complexes of active regions, which, together with the observed maximum values of magnetic field intensity in the complexes, limit the possible maximum CME energy.     

Flares,ejections, proton events

Statistical analysis is performed for the relationship of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and X-ray flares with the fluxes of solar protons with energies >10 and >100 MeV observed near the Earth. The basis for this analysis was the events that took place in 1976–2015, for which there are reliable observations of X-ray flares on GOES satellites and CME observations with SOHO/LASCO coronagraphs. A fairly good correlation has been revealed between the magnitude of proton enhancements and the power and duration of flares, as well as the initial CME speed. The statistics do not give a clear advantage either to CMEs or the flares concerning their relation with proton events, but the characteristics of the flares and ejections complement each other well and are reasonable to use together in the forecast models. Numerical dependences are obtained that allow estimation of the proton fluxes to the Earth expected from solar observations; possibilities for improving the model are discussed.     

日冕物质抛射—空间天气的扰动源

日冕物质抛射是引起空间天气扰动的重要起因＿本文对日冕物质抛射的一般参量和形态、它与其它太阳活动现象的关系、它在行星际空间的表现以及它导致的地球空间环境扰动的研究进展作了介绍和讨论     

Variations in the ULF index of daytime geomagnetic pulsations during recurrent magnetic storms

A new index of wave activity (ULF index) is applied to analyze daytime magnetic pulsations in the Pc5 range (f = 2–7 mHz) during ten successive recurrent magnetic storms (CIR (corotating interaction region) storms) of 2006. The most intense daytime geomagnetic Pc5 pulsations on the Earth’s surface in all phases of CIR storms are predominantly observed in the pre-noon sector at latitudes higher than 70°, while those in CME storms (storms initiated by coronal mass ejection (CME)) are observed at latitudes lower than 70°. A comparison of wave activity during CIR and CME storms has shown that the amplitude of Pc5 pulsations in CIR storms is much smaller than that in CME storms and the spectrum maximum is observed at lower frequencies and higher latitudes. At the same time, the mechanism of ULF wave generation during both types of magnetic storms seems to be similar, namely, resonance of magnetic field lines due to the development of the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability caused by an approach of a high-velocity solar wind stream to the Earth’s magnetosphere. Since resonance oscillations are excited only in the closed magnetosphere, the higher-latitude position of the Pc5 pulsation intensity maximum in CIR storms points to larger dimensions of the daytime magnetosphere during CIR storms as compared to CME storms.     

Sigmoid CME source regions at the Sun: some recent results

Identifying coronal mass ejection (CME) precursors in the solar corona would be an important step in space weather forecasting, as well as a vital key to understanding the physics of CMEs. Twisted magnetic field structures are suspected of being the source of at least some CMEs. These features can appear sigmoid (S or inverse-S) shaped in soft X-ray (SXR) images. We review recent observations of these structures and their relation to CMEs, using SXR data from the Soft X-ray Telescope (SXT) on the Yohkoh satellite, and EUV data from the EUV Imaging Telescope (EIT) on the SOHO satellite. These observations indicate that the pre-eruption sigmoid patterns are more prominent in SXRs than in EUV, and that sigmoid precursors are present in over 50% of CMEs. These findings are important for CME research, and may potentially be a major component to space weather forecasting. So far, however, the studies have been subject to restrictions that will have to be relaxed before sigmoid morphology can be used as a reliable predictive tool. Moreover, some CMEs do not display a SXR sigmoid structure prior to eruption, and some others show no prominent SXR signature of any kind before or during eruption.     

Solar-terrestrial storms of October 2003. 2. Five-phase dynamics of the substorm of October 28–30

The assumption that a solar-heliospheric storm has five phases is formulated based on the storm that occurred in October 2003. The first phase: slow (between solar rotations) convergent motions of photospheric sources of large-scale open solar fields (LOFs) with generation of active regions (ARs) between these fields. The second phase: magnetic energy pumping with adjustment of zero lines of the photospheric magnetic field in AR to the configuration of the LOF sector (subsector) boundaries. The third phase: AR destabilization with ordering of the complex of sporadic phenomena near ARs parallel to the zero line and fragments of the nearest LOF boundary. The fourth phase: propagation of disturbances in the near-Sun space with ordering relative to the LOF boundaries. The fifth phase: propagation of a coronal mass ejection (CME) in the inner heliosphere in the case when the axial axis of a magnetic cloud in CME is parallel to the LOF boundary and to the zero line in AR. Original results of LOF modeling and a number of substantial results of the known advanced studies of individual aspects of this storm are used to justify this dynamics as applied to the storm of October 28–30. Specific contents and features of each storm phases are presented. The specific feature of the first phase, responsible for the storm space-time scales and intensity, consisted in the displacement of the entire LOF negative magnetic flux (～5 × 10²² μs) from the north pole to the south with flowing around a midlatitude obstacle and with zonal convergent motions of LOF. The assumption of the AR configuration adjustment (the second phase) and ordering of disturbances (the third–five phases) during this storm near the subsector boundary between LOFs of identical polarity has been confirmed. It is noted that the pulse phase of the AR 0486 flare, coronal waves, and dimmings along the subsector boundary and the southwestern LOF “dam” joining ARs 0486 and 0484 (superposition of the third and fourth phases) originated almost simultaneously. The two-component disturbance structure is confirmed: halo-type CME with the axis along the LOF subsector boundary and a bright local ejection of magnetic plasma from the region above the southwestern LOF dam.     

Flares Unaccompanied by Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections and Solar Proton Events

Geomagnetism and Aeronomy - For a coronal mass ejection (CME) to occur, the magnetic pressure of the overlying layers must be lower than that of the underlying layers, and the corresponding...     

What can we learn about reconnection from coronal mass ejections?

It may be possible to calculate the rate of reconnection in the corona by measuring the rate at which the temporary coronal hole formed by a coronal mass ejection (CME) disappears. This calculation is possible if the disappearance of the hole is caused by the same reconnection process which creates the giant X-ray arches associated with CMEs. These arches form just below the vertical current sheet that is created as the CME drags magnetic field lines out into interplanetary space, and they are similar in form to ‘post’-flare loops, except that they often have an upward motion that is different. Instead of continually slowing with time as ‘post’-flare loops do, they move upwards at a rate which increases, or remains nearly constant, with time. This difference has raised doubts about the relevance of reconnection to the formation and propagation of the arches. Using a two-dimensional flux rope model to calculate the size and location of the current sheet as a function of time, we find that the difference between the motion of ‘post’-flare loops and giant arches can be explained simply by the variation of the coronal Alfvén speed with height.