[Previous] | [Session 9] | [Next]
J. Zhang (George Mason University), K. P. Dere (Naval Research Laboratory), R. A. Howard (Naval Research Laboratory), M. R. Kundu, S. M. White (University of Maryland)
Coronal mass ejections (CME) and flares are two primary causes of adverse space weather. These two solar eruptive phenomenon are often observed to be associated with each other. Yet the relationship between them is not well known. With unprecedented LASCO (Large-Angle and Spectrometric Coronagraph) and EIT (Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Telescope) observations combined with simultaneous HXT (Hard X-ray Telescope), GOES and other flare observations, we pursue to make a comprehensive study on the spatial, temporal and energetic relationship between CMEs and flares. In order to make accurate measurement of the onset time of CMEs, we primarily select CME events whose source regions are close to the limb and which are well observed by LASCO/C1 from 1.1 to 3 solar radii. Although a flare occurs in a rather small area of active region, the CME's source region often covers much larger longitudinal and latitudinal extension. Some CMEs occur simultaneously with flare (within only a few minutes), however, some CMEs occur well before the flares (more than 30 minutes earlier). Fast CMEs are associated with strong flares. These studies are aimed to understand the initiation process of solar eruptive phenomenon, and to fit a variety of observational aspects into a consistent picture.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: jiez@astro.umd.edu