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J. Krall, J. Chen (Plasma Physics Division, Naval Research Laboratory)
While it is well-established that the dynamics of many coronal mass ejection (CME) events can be quantitatively described in terms of expanding, magnetically-driven coronal flux ropes[1-3], certain aspects of CME morphology have yet to be explained in terms of this particular flux rope model[4]. Specifically, CME events with concave-outward features and trailing streamer-like structures are sometimes interpreted as ``disconnection events'' with trailing ``current sheets.'' By generating synthetic coronagraphs of a model flux-rope CME density structure[5], we show that many features of observed CME morphologies can be reproduced, including trailing streamer-like structures. These can occur when high-density regions of the two flux-rope CME ``legs'' overlap in the projected field of view of a coronagraph image. In such cases there is no current sheet present. Other observed CME morphologies, including those of halo CMEs, are also studied in terms of the geometry of the underlying magnetic flux rope.
[1] Chen et al. 1997, ApJ, 490, L191
[2] Chen et al. 2000, ApJ, 533, 481
[3] Krall et al. 2001, ApJ, 562, 1045
[4] Chen, J. 1996, JGR, 101, 27499
[5] Krall et al. 2004, submitted to ApJ
Work supported by ONR and NASA
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: krall@ppdmail.nrl.navy.mil
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Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 36 #2
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