The onset of coronal mass ejections

Details The onset of coronal mass ejections The onset of coronal mass ejections

Sep 1985

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1985soph...99..291s&link_type=abstract

Solar Physics (ISSN 0038-0938), vol. 99, Sept. 1985, p. 291-311.

Physics

47

Coronal Loops, Solar Flares, Solar Maximum Mission, Solar Protons, Solar X-Rays, Chromosphere, H Alpha Line, Particle Acceleration, Plasma Heating, Solar Magnetic Field

Scientific paper

This study addresses the onset of coronal mass ejections from examination of sensitive X-ray images from the Solar Maximum Mission around the projected onset time of coronal mass ejections. Two important new features were identified: (1) there is usually a weak, soft X-ray enhancement 15-30 min prior to the linearly extrapolated chromospheric departure time of the ejection; (2) this activity is generally from two widely separated parts of the sun. Possible physical mechanisms for these phenomena are examined, and it is concluded that a plausible explanation is that the initial energy release is converted first into kinetic energy of suprathermal protons, 100-1000 keV. The protons are trapped in a large magnetic loop which later breaks open as the mass ejection; Coulomb losses are the destabilizing agent, but the mass ejection is probably magnetically driven. Protons that escape into the loss cone will impact the loop footpoints, to heat the upper chromospheric material to a temperature sufficiently high to generate the weak soft X-ray emission. There will also be an H-alpha signature, and this is observed in a number of events. There is in general no radio emission or hard X-ray emission accompanying the soft X-ray precursor. When the coronal mass ejection is followed by a flare, then this is generally from a point close to, but not identical to, one of the points with the earlier soft X-ray enhancement.

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