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[18.06] The mass content of Coronal Mass Ejections

J.T. Burkepile, A.J. Hundhausen, R. M. MacQueen, G. deToma, J.A. Darnell, H.R. Gilbert (High Altitde Observatory / NCAR)

The total mass content of solar Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) can vary greatly between events. Most CMEs have estimated masses between 10e+14 and 10e+16 grams of material. It is believed that most of the CME material is coronal in origin (Hildner et al. 1975) but the source of the mass remains largely unknown. The large fields-of-view of the LASCO C2 and C3 coronagraphs coupled with observations of the low corona from the MK4 K-Coronameter at the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory provide the observations needed to examine CME masses over a wide range of coronal scale heights. We utilize these observations to estimate both the amount of material which is ejected from the very low corona and the amount of mass which is 'swept up' by the CME as it propagates outward.

This research is funded by the National Science Foundation.

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