Predicting the geoeffective properties of coronal mass ejections: current status, open issues and path forward

How Magnetic Erosion Affects the Drag-Based Kinematics of Fast Coronal Mass Ejections

In order to advance our understanding of the dynamic interactions between coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and the magnetized solar wind, we investigate the impact of magnetic erosion on the well-known aerodynamic drag force acting on CMEs traveling faster than the ambient solar wind. In particular, we start by generating empirical relationships for the basic physical parameters of CMEs that conserve their mass and magnetic flux. Furthermore, we examine the impact of the virtual mass on the equation of motion by studying a variable-mass system. We next implement magnetic reconnection into CME propagation, which erodes part of the CME magnetic flux and outer-shell mass, on the drag acting on CMEs, and we determine its impact on their time and speed of arrival at 1 AU. Depending on the strength of the magnetic erosion, the leading edge of the magnetic structure can reach near-Earth space up to ≈ three hours later, compared to the non-eroded case. Therefore, magnetic erosion may have a significant impact on the propagation of fast CMEs and on predictions of their arrivals at 1 AU. Finally, the modeling indicates that eroded CMEs may experience a significant mass decrease. Since such a decrease is not observed in the corona, the initiation distance of erosion may lie beyond the field-of-view of coronagraphs (i.e. 30 R ⊙ ).

Earth-affecting solar transients: a review of progresses in solar cycle 24

This review article summarizes the advancement in the studies of Earth-affecting solar transients in the last decade that encompasses most of solar cycle 24. It is a part of the effort of the International Study of Earth-affecting Solar Transients (ISEST) project, sponsored by the SCOSTEP/VarSITI program (2014-2018). The Sun-Earth is an integrated physical system in which the space environment of the Earth sustains continuous influence from mass, magnetic field, and radiation energy output of the Sun in varying timescales from minutes to millennium. This article addresses short timescale events, from minutes to days that directly cause transient disturbances in the Earth's space environment and generate intense adverse effects on advanced technological systems of human society. Such transient events largely fall into the following four types: (1) solar flares, (2) coronal mass ejections (CMEs) including their interplanetary counterparts ICMEs, (3) solar energetic particle (SEP) events, and (4) stream interaction regions (SIRs) including corotating interaction regions (CIRs). In the last decade, the unprecedented multi-viewpoint observations of the Sun from space, enabled by STEREO Ahead/Behind spacecraft in combination with a suite of observatories along the Sun-Earth lines, have provided much more accurate and global measurements of the size, speed, propagation direction, and morphology of CMEs in both 3D and over a large volume in the heliosphere. Many CMEs, fast ones, in particular, can be clearly characterized as a two-front (shock front plus ejecta front) and three-part (bright ejecta front, dark cavity, and bright core) structure. Drag-based kinematic models of CMEs are developed to interpret CME propagation in the heliosphere and are applied to predict their arrival times at 1 AU in an efficient manner. Several advanced MHD models have been developed to simulate realistic CME events from the initiation on the Sun until their arrival at 1 AU. Much progress has been made on detailed kinematic and dynamic behaviors of CMEs, including non-radial motion, rotation and deformation of CMEs, CME-CME interaction, and stealth CMEs and problematic ICMEs. The knowledge about SEPs has also been significantly improved. An outlook of how to address critical issues related to Earth-affecting solar transients concludes this article.

Introduction to the physics of solar eruptions and their space weather impact

The physical processes, which drive powerful solar eruptions, play an important role in our understanding of the Sun-Earth connection. In this Special Issue, we firstly discuss how magnetic fields emerge from the solar interior to the solar surface, to build up active regions, which commonly host large-scale coronal disturbances, such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Then, we discuss the physical processes associated with the driving and triggering of these eruptions, the propagation of the large-scale magnetic disturbances through interplanetary space and the interaction of CMEs with Earth's magnetic field. The acceleration mechanisms for the solar energetic particles related to explosive phenomena (e.g. flares and/or CMEs) in the solar corona are also discussed. The main aim of this Issue, therefore, is to encapsulate the present state-of-the-art in research related to the genesis of solar eruptions and their space-weather implications. This article is part of the theme issue 'Solar eruptions and their space weather impact'.