SOLAR WIND DRAG AND THE KINEMATICS OF INTERPLANETARY CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS
Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are large-scale ejections of plasma and magnetic field from the solar corona, which propagate through interplanetary space at velocities of {approx}100-2500 km s{sup -1}. Although plane-of-sky coronagraph measurements have provided some insight into their kinematics near the Sun (<32 R {sub sun}), it is still unclear what forces govern their evolution during both their early acceleration and later propagation. Here, we use the dual perspectives of the STEREO spacecraft to derive the three-dimensional kinematics of CMEs over a range of heliocentric distances ({approx}2-250 R {sub sun}). We find evidence for solar wind (SW) drag forces acting in interplanetary space, with a fast CME decelerated and a slow CME accelerated toward typical SW velocities. We also find that the fast CME showed linear ({delta} = 1) dependence on the velocity difference between the CME and the SW, while the slow CME showed a quadratic ({delta} = 2) dependence. The differing forms of drag for the two CMEs indicate the forces responsible for their acceleration may be different.
- OSTI ID:
- 21452644
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 724; ISSN 2041-8205
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
ACCELERATION
ATMOSPHERES
EVOLUTION
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE
SOLAR CORONA
SOLAR SYSTEM EVOLUTION
SOLAR WIND
SPACE
STARS
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR CORONAE
STELLAR WINDS
SUN
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
VELOCITY