Title: Comparison
of interplanetary disturbances at the NEAR spacecraft with coronal mass
ejections at the Sun
Author(s): Rust
DM, Anderson BJ, Andrews MD, Acuna MH, Russell CT, Schuck PW, Mulligan
T
Source: ASTROPHYSICAL
JOURNAL 621 (1): 524-536 Part 1, MAR 1 2005
Document Type: Article
Language: English
Abstract: We
examined interplanetary (IP) magnetic field disturbances recorded by
the Near Earth Asteroid Rendezvous Shoemaker spacecraft ( NEAR) when it
was above either the east or west solar limb as seen from Earth; we
then identified the associated coronal mass ejections (CMEs) detected
above the limbs by the SOHO LASCO coronagraph. We found 10 cases in
which a nonrecurring IP disturbance could be associated with a CME.
Eight of the disturbances included a magnetic flux rope signature. Flux
rope chirality and axis orientation were determined for each one and
compared with chirality and axis orientation at the Sun, as inferred
from flux rope signatures filaments and sigmoids - that could be
associated with the CMEs. In most cases, the chirality and orientation
inferred from these preeruption flux rope signatures agreed well with
the flux rope signatures at NEAR. These results suggest, in agreement
with Plunkett and coworkers, that the flux ropes existed prior to
eruption and that the flux ropes on the Sun become flux ropes in IP
space. Comparisons of the CME speeds to the time-of-flight average
speeds showed that flux ropes are less accelerated or decelerated by
the solar wind than are the CME leading edges. These results imply that
the faint features or loops that make up the CME leading edges are
probably distinct from the flux ropes.
Author Keywords: interplanetary
medium; Sun : coronal mass ejections (CMEs); Sun : particle emission
KeyWords Plus: HELICAL
MAGNETIC-FIELDS; FLUX-ROPES; SOLAR-WIND; CLOUDS; FILAMENTS; ULYSSES;
LASCO; STREAMER; ORIGIN; SOHO
Addresses: Rust
DM (reprint author), Johns Hopkins Univ, Appl Phys Lab, 11100 Johns
Hopkins Rd, Laurel, MD 20723 USA
Johns Hopkins Univ, Appl Phys Lab, Laurel, MD 20723 USA
USN, Res Lab, Computat Phys Inc, Washington, DC 20375 USA
NASA, Goddard Space Flight Ctr, Planetary Magnetospheres Branch,
Greenbelt, MD 20771 USA
Univ Calif Los Angeles, Inst Geophys, Los Angeles, CA 90095 USA
USN, Res Lab, Div Plasma Phys, Washington, DC 20375 USA
Aerosp Corp, Dept Space Sci, El Segundo, CA 90245 USA
Publisher: UNIV
CHICAGO PRESS, 1427 E 60TH ST, CHICAGO, IL 60637-2954 USA
Subject Category: ASTRONOMY
& ASTROPHYSICS
IDS Number: 903DR
ISSN: 0004-637X