Eit and LASCO Observations of the Initiation of a Coronal Mass Ejection

We present the first observations of the initiation of a coronal mass ejection (CME) seen on the disk of the Sun. Observations with the EIT experiment on SOHO show that the CME began in a small volume and was initially associated with slow motions of prominence material and a small brightening at one end of the prominence. Shortly afterward, the prominence was accelerated to about 100 km s^-1 and was preceded by a bright loop-like structure, which surrounded an emission void, that traveled out into the corona at a velocity of 200–400 km s^-1. These three components, the prominence, the dark void, and the bright loops are typical of CMEs when seen at distance in the corona and here are shown to be present at the earliest stages of the CME. The event was later observed to traverse the LASCO coronagraphs fields of view from 1.1 to 30 R⊙. Of particular interest is the fact that this large-scale event, spanning as much as 70 deg in latitude, originated in a volume with dimensions of roughly 35" (2.5 x 10⁴ km). Further, a disturbance that propagated across the disk and a chain of activity near the limb may also be associated with this event as well as a considerable degree of activity near the west limb.     

Observations and Modeling of an Explosive Coronal Mass Ejection as Observed by LASCO

We present a qualitative and quantitative comparison of a single coronal mass ejection (CME) as observed by LASCO on 5 October 1996 with the results of a two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model. This event was selected as a clear example of a CME that is not caused by the disruption of a helmet streamer. This CME occurs against the background of multiple bright streamers on the west limb. The CME is first seen as a brightening of the entire west limb. The CME has a bright, sharp front that moves outward with no significant change in shape. The CME moves outward with roughly constant velocity that is approximately twice as fast at high latitude as near the streamer. The measured CME mass is 1.2×10¹⁶ g. There are two parts to the MHD model. The pre-event corona was calculated using a 2-dimensional bi-modal model. The CME is simulated using a time dependent perturbation at the base of the corona. The model successfully reproduces the observed morphology, velocity profiles, and change in coronal mass. The observed velocity asymmetry is a natural consequence of the structure of the pre-event corona. Animations have been generated from both the data and model to illustrate the good agreement between the observations and simulation. These animations can be found on the CD-ROM which accompanies this volume. Supplementary material to this paper is available in electronic form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1005178630316     

Statistical Analysis of Periodic Oscillations in LASCO Coronal Mass Ejection Speeds

A large set of coronal mass ejections (CMEs, 3463) has been selected to study their periodic oscillations in speed in the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission’s Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) field of view. These events, reported in the SOHO/LASCO catalog in the period of time 1996?–?2004, were selected based on having at least 11 height–time measurements. This selection criterion allows us to construct at least ten-point speed–distance profiles and evaluate kinematic properties of CMEs with a reasonable accuracy. To identify quasi-periodic oscillations in the speed of the CMEs a sinusoidal function was fitted to speed–distance profiles and the speed–time profiles. Of the considered events 22 % revealed periodic velocity fluctuations. These speed oscillations have on average amplitude equal to \(87~\mbox{km}\,\mbox{s}^{-1}\) and period \(7.8 R _{\odot}/241~\mbox{min}\) (in distance/time). The study shows that speed oscillations are a common phenomenon associated with CME propagation implying that all the CMEs have a similar magnetic flux-rope structure. The nature of oscillations can be explained in terms of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves excited during the eruption process. More accurate detection of these modes could, in the future, enable us to characterize magnetic structures in space (space seismology).     

磁场重联和日冕物质抛射

Basic processes of magnetic reconnection and observations of coronal mass ejection are introduced. A possible mechanism of CME caused by magnetic rcconnection in the current sheet of solar corona is suggested.     

Dual-filament initiation of a Coronal Mass Ejection: Observations and Model

We propose a new model for the initiation of solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and CME-associated flares. The model is inferred from observations of a quiescent filament eruption in the north-western quadrant of the solar disk on 4 September 2000. The event was observed with the Siberian Solar Radio Telescope (5.7 GHz), the Nobeyama Radioheliograph (17 GHz) and SOHO/EIT and LASCO. Based on the observations, we suggest that the eruption could be caused by the interaction of two dextral filaments. According to our model, these two filaments merge together to form a dual-filament system tending to form a single long filament. This results in a slow upward motion of the dual-filament system. Its upward expansion is prevented by the attachment of the filaments to the photosphere by filament barbs as well as by overlying coronal arcades. The initial upward motion is caused by the backbone magnetic field (first driving factor) which connects the two merging filaments. Its magnetic flux increases slowly due to magnetic reconnection of the cross-interacting legs of these filaments. If a total length of the dual-filament system is large enough, then the filament barbs detach themselves from the solar surface due to magnetic reconnection between the barbs with oppositely directed magnetic fields. The detachment of the filament barbs completes the formation of the eruptive filaments themselves and determines the helicity sign of their magnetic fields. The appearance of a helical magnetic structure creates an additional upward-directed force (second driving factor). A combined action of these two factors causes acceleration of the dual-filament system. If the lifting force of the two factors is sufficient to substantially extend the overlying coronal magnetic arcade, then magnetic reconnection starts below the eruptive filament in accordance with the classical scheme, and the third driving factor comes into play.     

Lasco Observations of Disconnected Magnetic Structures Out to Beyond 28 Solar Radii During Coronal Mass Ejections

Two coronal mass ejections have been well observed by the LASCO coronagraphs to move out into the interplanetary medium as disconnected plasmoids. The first, on July 28, 1996, left the Sun above the west limb around 18:00 UT. As it moved out, a bright V-shaped structure was visible in the C2 coronagraph which moved into the field-of-view of C3 and could be observed out to beyond 28 solar radii. The derived average velocity in the plane of the sky was 110 ± 5 km s^-1 out to 5 solar radii, and above 15 solar radii the velocity was 269 ± 10 km s^-1. Thus there is evidence of some acceleration around 6 solar radii. The second event occurred on November 5, 1996 and left the west limb around 04:00 UT. The event had an average velocity in the plane of the sky of ∼54 km s^-1 below 4 R⊙, and it accelerated rapidly around 5 R⊙ up to 310 ± 10 km s^-1. In both events the rising plasmoid is connected back to the Sun by a straight, bright ray, which is probably a signature of a neutral sheet. In the November event there is evidence for multiple plasmoid ejections. The acceleration of the plasmoids around a projected altitude of 5 solar radii is probably a manifestation of the source surface of the solar wind. Supplementary material to this paper is available in electronic form at http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1004994214697     

Multi-Wavelength Signatures of Magnetic Reconnection of a Flare-Associated Coronal Mass Ejection

The evolution of an X2.7 solar flare, that occurred in a complex β γ δ magnetic configuration region on 3 November 2003 is discussed by utilizing a multi-wavelength data set. The very first signature of pre-flare coronal activity is observed in radio wavelengths as a type III burst that occurred several minutes prior to the flare signature in Hα. This type III burst is followed by the appearance of a loop-top source in hard X-ray (HXR) images obtained from RHESSI. During the main phase of the event, Hα images observed from ARIES solar tower telescope, Nainital, reveal well-defined footpoint (FP) and loop-top (LT) sources. As the flare evolves, the LT source moves upward and the separation between the two FP sources increases. The co-alignment of Hα with HXR images shows spatial correlation between Hα and HXR footpoints, whereas the rising LT source in HXR is always located above the LT source seen in Hα. The evolution of LT and FP sources is consistent with the reconnection models of solar flares. The EUV images at 195 Å taken by SOHO/EIT reveal intense emission on the disk at the flaring region during the impulsive phase. Further, slow-drifting type IV bursts, observed at low coronal heights at two time intervals along the flare period, indicate rising plasmoids or loop systems. The intense type II radio burst at a time in between these type IV bursts, but at a relatively greater height, indicates the onset of CME and its associated coronal shock wave. The study supports the standard CSHKP model of flares, which is consistent with nearly all eruptive flare models. More importantly, the results also contain evidence for breakout reconnection before the flare phase.     

Uncovering the Birth of a Coronal Mass Ejection from Two-Viewpoint SECCHI Observations

We investigate the initiation and formation of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) via a detailed two-viewpoint analysis of low corona observations of a relatively fast CME acquired by the SECCHI instruments aboard the STEREO mission. The event which occurred on 2 January 2008, was chosen because of several unique characteristics. It shows upward motions for at least four hours before the flare peak. Its speed and acceleration profiles exhibit a number of inflections which seem to have a direct counterpart in the GOES light curves. We detect and measure, in 3D, loops that collapse toward the erupting channel while the CME is increasing in size and accelerates. We suggest that these collapsing loops are our first evidence of magnetic evacuation behind the forming CME flux rope. We report the detection of a hot structure which becomes the core of the white light CME. We observe and measure unidirectional flows along the erupting filament channel which may be associated with the eruption process. Finally, we compare these observations to the predictions from the standard flare-CME model and find a very satisfactory agreement. We conclude that the standard flare-CME concept is a reliable representation of the initial stages of CMEs and that multi-viewpoint, high cadence EUV observations can be extremely useful in understanding the formation of CMEs.     

Faraday Rotation Response to Coronal Mass Ejection Structure

We present the results from modeling the coronal mass ejection (CME) properties that have an effect on the Faraday rotation (FR) signatures that may be measured with an imaging radio antenna array such as the Murchison Widefield Array (MWA). These include the magnetic flux rope orientation, handedness, magnetic-field magnitude, velocity, radius, expansion rate, electron density, and the presence of a shock/sheath region. We find that simultaneous multiple radio source observations (FR imaging) can be used to uniquely determine the orientation of the magnetic field in a CME, increase the advance warning time on the geoeffectiveness of a CME by an order of magnitude from the warning time possible from in-situ observations at L ₁, and investigate the extent and structure of the shock/sheath region at the leading edge of fast CMEs. The magnetic field of the heliosphere is largely “invisible” with only a fraction of the interplanetary magnetic-field lines convecting past the Earth; remote sensing the heliospheric magnetic field through FR imaging from the MWA will advance solar physics investigations into CME evolution and dynamics.     

对地日冕物质抛射研究

日冕物质抛射，作为太阳大气中频繁发生的极为壮观的活动现象，越来越受到太阳物理学家的关注。其中一类特殊的抛射事件－－对地日冕物质抛射，通常与大的地磁暴、行星际激波和高能粒子事件相伴生，具有强烈的地球物理效应，是影响空间天气的主要因素之一。概括了对地日冕物质抛射的研究现状，重点介绍了与对土日冕物质抛射事件相联系的光球向量磁场演化的观测研究成果，并由典型事件探讨了暗条爆发、耀五等剧烈太阳活动和对地日冕物质抛射之间的密切关系，提出了尚待解决的主要问题和进一步的研究方向。     

晕状日冕物质抛射

主要介绍晕状日冕物质抛射（halo CMEs)的产生机制，包括向量磁场演化是怎样触发halo CMEa的：halo CME与耀斑，暗条活动的相互关系怎样，是否有规律可循，暗条爆发，耀斑等活动现象是如何相互联系的，halo CME事件是由一个活动区域或一个活动事件驱动物，还是多个活动区或多个活动事件相互作用的结果，给出两个halo CME的日面起源的观测例证，提出相反极笥的磁场对消是CME日面源区磁场演化的主要特征。     

The ARTEMIS Catalog of LASCO Coronal Mass Ejections

The LASCO-C2 coronagraph aboard the SOHO solar observatory has been providing a continuous flow of coronal images since 1996. Synoptic maps for each Carrington rotation have been built from these images, and offer a global view of the temporal evolution of the solar corona, particularly the occurrence of transient events. Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) present distinct signatures thus offering a novel approach to the problem of their identification and characterization. We present in this article an automated method of detection based on their morphological appearance on synoptic maps. It is based on adaptive filtering and segmentation, followed by merging with high-level knowledge. The program builds a catalog which lists the CMEs detected for each Carrington Rotation, together with their main estimated parameters: time of appearance, position angle, angular extent, average velocity and intensity. Our final catalog LASCO-ARTEMIS (Automatic Recognition of Transient Events and Marseille Inventory from Synoptic maps) is compared with existing catalogs, CDAW, CACTUS and SEEDS. We find that, likewise the automated CACTUS and SEEDS catalogs, we detect many more events than the CDAW catalog which is based on visual detection. The total number of detected CMEs strongly depends upon the sensitivity to small, faint and numerous events.     

Simultaneous SOHO and Ground-Based Observations of a Large Eruptive Prominence and Coronal Mass Ejection

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are frequently associated with erupting prominences near the solar surface. A spectacular eruption of the southern polar crown prominence was observed on 2 June 1998, accompanied by a CME that was well-observed by the LASCO coronagraphs on SOHO. The prominence was observed in its quiescent state and was followed throughout its eruption by the SOHO EIT and later by LASCO as the bright, twisted core of the CME. Ground-based H observations of the prominence were obtained at the Ondejov Observatory in the Czech Republic. A great deal of fine structure was observed within the prominence as it erupted. The prominence motion was found to rotate about its axis as it moved outward. The CME contained a helical structure that is consistent with the ejection of a magnetic flux rope from the Sun. Similar structures have been observed by LASCO in many other CMEs. The relationship of the flux rope to other structures in the CME is often not clear. In this event, the prominence clearly lies near the trailing edge of the structure identified as a flux rope. This structure can be observed from the onset of the CME in the low corona all the way out to the edge of the LASCO field of view. The initiation and evolution of the CME are modeled using a fully self-consistent, 3D axisymmetric, MHD code.     

Atmospheric Dynamics and Magnetic Activity Associated With A Coronal Mass Ejection

By using multi-wavelength observations, we explored the atmospheric dynamics and the surface magnetic activity in NOAA 9026, which were associated with the initiation of a halo coronal mass ejection (CME) on 6 June, 2000. In an interval of less than two hours, two X-class X-ray flares took place successively, each along with one eruption of a filament. However, only the second X-class flare which is characterized by a rather large-scale (larger than a general active region in area) EUV dimming was associated with the CME initiation. It seems that a flare with an extensive dimming is more likely to be CME-associated. We focused our study on the daily evolution of the vector magnetic field in this region from 4 to 9 June and have found the following results. (1) The gradual squeeze and cancellation of the opposite polarity magnetic fields are the main patterns of magnetic evolution. Moreover, there is a spatial coincidence between the sites of magnetic flux cancellation and the locations of the early filament activation and the flare brightenings. (2) The current system increased in the first two days and began to decrease at least ten hours before the CME initiation. It underwent dramatic disruption from 6 to 7 June. (3) The transverse component of the the vector magnetic field appeared helical in configuration. It changed from compact to loose and dissipated from a small to a large area. Here we suggest that although the first filament eruption and first flare were not in step with the CME initiation, they seem to be a part of the entire process. The observed evolution of the magnetic field implies a continuous transport of magnetic energy and complexity from the lower atmosphere to the corona. Moreover, the slow magnetic reconnection in the lower atmosphere, manifested as magnetic flux cancellation, and the helicity re-distribution, appear to play a key role in the energy build-up process of the flares and the initiation of the halo CME.     

The Coronal Mass Ejection Waiting-Time Distribution

The distribution of times t between coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the Large Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) CME catalog for the years 1996–2001 is examined. The distribution exhibits a power-law tail (t) with an index –2.36±0.11 for large waiting times (t>10 hours). The power-law index of the waiting-time distribution varies with the solar cycle: for the years 1996–1998 (a period of low activity), the power-law index is –1.86±0.14, and for the years 1999–2001 (a period of higher activity), the index is –2.98±0.20. The observed CME waiting-time distribution, and its variation with the cycle, may be understood in terms of CMEs occurring as a time-dependent Poisson process. The CME waiting-time distribution is compared with that for greater than C1 class solar flares in the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) catalog for the same years. The flare and CME waiting-time distributions exhibit power-law tails with very similar indices and time variation.     

A Filament—Associated Halo Coronal Mass Ejection

1 INTRODUCTIONCoronal majss ejections (CMEs) are often seen as spectacular eruptions of matter fromthe Sun which propagate outward through the heliosphere and often interact with the Earth'smagnetosphere (Hundhausen, 1997; Gosling, 1997; and references herein). It is well known thatthese interactions can have substalltial consequences on the geomagnetic environment of theEarth, sometimes resulting in damage to satellites (e.g., McAllister et al., 1996; Berdichevskyet al., 1998). CMEs…     

On the Coronal Mass Ejection onset and Coronal Dimming

A comprehensive case and statistical study of CME onsets has been conducted on the solar limb using the CDS, LASCO and EIT instruments aboard the SOHO spacecraft. This is the first dedicated campaign to establish firmly the EUV signatures of CME onsets and is based on a series of low-corona observing campaigns made in 2002. The event database consisted of 36 multiple emission line sequences observed with CDS and the study builds, in particular, on studies of EUV coronal dimming which have been associated with CME onsets. We witness a range of dimming events in EUV coronal emission line data. Shorter events, commonly of duration < 4 hours, we find are indirectly associated with CME onsets whereas longer-duration dimmings (> 4 hours) appear to be either due to coronal evolution or rotational effects. However, for some CME onsets, where the CDS pointing was appropriate, no dimming was observed. Dimming observed in EIT typically occurred immediately after the launch of a loop or prominence, and in 5 out of 9 events there is evidence of a matter buildup within the loop before launch. A total of 10 events occurred where CDS was used to directly observe the CME footprint, but no relationship between these events was found. The results suggest that the response of the corona to a CME launch differs between the low (1.0 R _⊙≤R≤1.2 R _⊙) and middle (1.2 R _⊙<R≤2.0 R _⊙) corona regions, hence implying a difference between dimming observations conducted with different instruments.     

日冕物质抛射的观测性质

综述日冕物质抛射的观测和持性，简短的前言之后，给出ＣＭＥ的发现经过及统计特性，着重介绍ＣＭＥ与其他种类太阳活动的相关。然后介绍ＣＭＥ的一般特性，包括可能与ＣＭＥ相关的一些物理过程的观测特性。初步结论是：ＣＭＥ是一种演变中的磁结构现象。     

Flux Accretion and Coronal Mass Ejection Dynamics

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the primary drivers of severe space weather disturbances in the heliosphere. Models of CME dynamics have been proposed that do not fully include the effects of magnetic reconnection on the forces driving the ejection. Both observations and numerical modeling, however, suggest that reconnection likely plays a major role in most, if not all, fast CMEs. Here, we theoretically investigate the accretion of magnetic flux onto a rising ejection by reconnection involving the ejection’s background field. This reconnection alters the magnetic structure of the ejection and its environment, thereby modifying the forces acting upon the ejection, generically increasing its upward acceleration. The modified forces, in turn, can more strongly drive the reconnection. This feedback process acts, effectively, as an instability, which we refer to as a reconnective instability. Our analysis implies that CME models that neglect the effects of reconnection cannot accurately describe observed CME dynamics. Our ultimate aim is to understand changes in CME acceleration in terms of observable properties of magnetic reconnection, such as the amount of reconnected flux. This flux can be estimated from observations of flare ribbons and photospheric magnetic fields.