Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Fitting and Reconstruction of Thirteen Simple Coronal Mass Ejections

  • Earth-affecting Solar Transients
  • Published:
Solar Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the main drivers of geomagnetic disturbances, but the effects of their interaction with Earth’s magnetic field depend on their magnetic configuration and orientation. Fitting and reconstruction techniques have been developed to determine important geometrical and physical CME properties, such as the orientation of the CME axis, the CME size, and its magnetic flux. In many instances, there is disagreement between different methods but also between fitting from in situ measurements and reconstruction based on remote imaging. This could be due to the geometrical or physical assumptions of the models, but also to the fact that the magnetic field inside CMEs is only measured at one point in space as the CME passes over a spacecraft. In this article we compare three methods that are based on different assumptions for measurements by the Wind spacecraft for 13 CMEs from 1997 to 2015. These CMEs are selected from the interplanetary coronal mass ejections catalog on https://wind.nasa.gov/ICMEindex.php because of their simplicity in terms of: 1) slow expansion speed throughout the CME and 2) weak asymmetry in the magnetic field profile. This makes these 13 events ideal candidates for comparing codes that do not include expansion or distortion. We find that for these simple events, the codes are in relatively good agreement in terms of the CME axis orientation for six of the 13 events. Using the Grad–Shafranov technique, we can determine the shape of the cross-section, which is assumed to be circular for the other two models, a force-free fitting and a circular–cylindrical non force-free fitting. Five of the events are found to have a clear circular cross-section, even when this is not a precondition of the reconstruction. We make an initial attempt at evaluating the adequacy of the different assumptions for these simple CMEs. The conclusion of this work strongly suggests that attempts at reconciling in situ and remote-sensing views of CMEs must take into consideration the compatibility of the different models with specific CME structures to better reproduce flux ropes.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Figure 1
Figure 2

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Al-Haddad, N., Roussev, I.I., Möstl, C., Jacobs, C., Lugaz, N., Poedts, S., Farrugia, C.J.: 2011, Astrophys. J. Lett.738, 18. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Haddad, N., Nieves-Chinchilla, T., Möstl, C., Hidalgo, M.A., Marubashi, K., Savani, M.P., Roussev, I.I., Poedts, S., Farrugia, C.J.: 2013, Solar Phys.284, 129. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Bisi, M.M., Jackson, B.V., Hick, P.P., Buffington, A., Odstrcil, D., Clover, J.M.: 2008, J. Geophys. Res.113, A00A11. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Burlaga, L.F.: 1988, J. Geophys. Res.93, 7217. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Burlaga, L.F., Plunkett, S.P., St. Cyr, O.C.: 2002, J. Geophys. Res.107, 1. DOI .

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Burlaga, L., Sittler, E., Mariani, F., Schwenn, R.: 1981, J. Geophys. Res.86. DOI .

  • Davies, J.A., Harrison, R.A., Rouillard, A.P., Sheeley, N.R., Perry, C.H., Bewsher, D., Davis, C.J., Eyles, C.J., Crothers, S.R., Brown, D.S.: 2009, Geophys. Res. Lett.36, 02102. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Farrugia, C.J., Burlaga, L.F., Osherovich, V.A., Richardson, I.G., Freeman, M.P., Lepping, R.P., Lazarus, A.J.: 1993, J. Geophys. Res.98, 7621. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Farrugia, C.J., Berdichevsky, D.B., Möstl, C., Galvin, A.B., Leitner, M., Popecki, M.A., Simunac, K.D.C., Opitz, A., Lavraud, B., Ogilvie, K.W., Veronig, A.M., Temmer, M., Luhmann, J.G., Sauvaud, J.A.: 2011, J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Phys.73, 1254. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gold, T.: 1962, Space Sci. Rev.1, 100. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gold, T., Hoyle, F.: 1960, Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc.120, 89. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, H.: 1983, NASA Conf. Publ.228, 731.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gopalswamy, N.: 2016, Geosci. Lett.3, 8. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gulisano, A.M., Démoulin, P., Dasso, S., Ruiz, M.E., Marsch, E.: 2010, Astron. Astrophys.509, 39. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hidalgo, M.A., Nieves-Chinchilla, T., Cid, C.: 2002, Geophys. Res. Lett.29(13), 130000. DOI .

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hidalgo, M.A., Cid, C., Medina, J., Viñas, A.F.: 2000, Solar Phys.194, 165. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hidalgo, M.A., Cid, C., Vinas, A.F., Sequeiros, J.: 2002, J. Geophys. Res.107, 1002. DOI .

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, Q., Sonnerup, B.U.Ö.: 2001, Geophys. Res. Lett.28, 467. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, Q., Smith, C.W., Ness, N.F., Sonnerup, B.U.Ö.: 2004, J. Geophys. Res.109, 3102. DOI .

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Isavnin, A., Kilpua, E.K.J., Koskinen, H.E.J.: 2011, Solar Phys.273, 205. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jacobs, C., Roussev, I.I., Lugaz, N., Poedts, S.: 2009, Astrophys. J. Lett.695, L171. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jian, L., Russell, C.T., Luhmann, J.G., Skoug, R.M.: 2006, Solar Phys.239, 393. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Kilpua, E.K.J., Liewer, P.C., Farrugia, C., Luhmann, J.G., Möstl, C., Li, Y., Liu, Y., Lynch, B.J., Russell, C.T., Vourlidas, A., Acuna, M.H., Galvin, A.B., Larson, D., Sauvaud, J.A.: 2009, Solar Phys.254, 325. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, L.W., Burlaga, L.F.: 1982, J. Geophys. Res.87, 613. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Kliem, B., Su, Y.N., van Ballegooijen, A.A., DeLuca, E.E.: 2013, Astrophys. J.779, 129. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lepping, R.P., Burlaga, L.F., Jones, J.A.: 1990, J. Geophys. Res.95, 11957. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lepping, R.P., Acuna, M.H., Burlaga, L.F., Farrell, W.M.: 1995, Space Sci. Rev.71, 207. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lepping, R.P., Berdichevsky, D.B., Wu, C.C., Szabo, A., Narock, T., Mariani, F., Lazarus, A.J., Quivers, A.J.: 2006, Ann. Geophys.24, 215. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lin, R.P., Anderson, K.A., Ashford, S., Carlson, C., Curtis, D., Ergun, R., Larson, D., McFadden, J., McCarthy, M., Parks, G.K., Rème, H., Bosqued, J.M., Coutelier, J., Cotin, F., D’Uston, C., Wenzel, K.P., Sanderson, T.R., Henrion, J., Ronnet, J.C., Paschmann, G.: 1995, Space Sci. Rev.71, 125. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lugaz, N., Downs, C., Shibata, K., Roussev, I.I., Asai, A., Gombosi, T.I.: 2011, Astrophys. J.738, 127. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, B.J., Antiochos, S.K., DeVore, C.R., Luhmann, J.G., Zurbuchen, T.H.: 2008, Astrophys. J.683, 1192. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Manchester, W.B., Gombosi, T.I., Roussev, I.I.,Ridley, A., De Zeeuw, D.L., Sokolov, I.V., Powell, K.G., Tóth, G.: 2004, J. Geophys. Res.109, A02107. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Manchester, W.B., Vourlidas, A., Tóth, G., Lugaz, N., Roussev, I.I., Sokolov, I.V., Gombosi, T.I., De Zeeuw, D.L., Opher, M.: 2008, Astrophys. J.684, 1448. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Marubashi, K.: 1986, Adv. Space Res.6, 335. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Marubashi, K., Lepping, R.P.: 2007, Ann. Geophys.25, 2453. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Möstl, C., Miklenic, C., Farrugia, C.J., Temmer, M., Veronig, A., Galvin, A.B., Vršnak, B., Biernat, H.K.: 2008, Ann. Geophys.26, 3139. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Möstl, C., Farrugia, C.J., Miklenic, C., Temmer, M., Galvin, A.B., Luhmann, J.G., Kilpua, E.K.J., Leitner, M., Nieves-Chinchilla, T., Veronig, A., Biernat, H.K.: 2009a, J. Geophys. Res.114, 4102. DOI .

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Möstl, C., Farrugia, C.J., Biernat, H.K., Leitner, M., Kilpua, E.K.J., Galvin, A.B., Luhmann, J.G.: 2009b, Solar Phys.256, 427. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakwacki, M.S., Dasso, S., Mandrini, C.H., Démoulin, P.: 2008, J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Phys.70, 1318. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Nieves-Chinchilla, T., Colaninno, R., Vourlidas, A., Szabo, A., Lepping, R.P., Boardsen, S.A., Anderson, B.J., Korth, H.: 2012, J. Geophys. Res.117, 6106. DOI .

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nieves-Chinchilla, T., Vourlidas, A., Stenborg, G., Savani, N.P., Koval, A., Szabo, A., Jian, L.K.: 2013, Astrophys. J.779, 55. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Nieves-Chinchilla, T., Linton, M.G., Hidalgo, M.A., Vourlidas, A., Savani, N.P., Szabo, A., Farrugia, C., Yu, W.: 2016, Astrophys. J.823, 27. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Nieves-Chinchilla, T., Vourlidas, A., Raymond, J.C., Linton, M.G., Al-Haddad, N.A., Savani, N.P., Szabo, A., Hidalgo, M.A.: 2018, Solar Phys.293, 25, DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ogilvie, K.W., Chornay, D.J., Fritzenreiter, R.J., Hunsaker, F.: 1995, Space Sci. Rev.71, 55. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Owens, M.J.: 2006, J. Geophys. Res.111, A12109. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, I.G., Cane, H.V.: 2004, Geophys. Res. Lett.31, 18804. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, I.G., Cane, H.V.: 2010, Solar Phys.264, 189. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Riley, P., Gosling, J.T., Pizzo, V.J.: 1997, J. Geophys. Res.102, 14677. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Riley, P., Linker, J.A., Lionello, R., Mikić, Z., Odstrcil, D., Hidalgo, M.A., Cid, C., Hu, Q., Lepping, R.P., Lynch, B.J., Rees, A.: 2004, J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Phys.66, 1321. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Roussev, I.I., Galsgaard, K., Downs, C., Lugaz, N., Sokolov, I.V., Moise, E., Lin, J.: 2012, Nat. Phys.8, 845. DOI .

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ruffenach, A., Lavraud, B., Owens, M.J., Sauvaud, J.A., Savani, N.P., Rouillard, A.P., Démoulin, P., Foullon, C., Opitz, A., Fedorov, A., Jacquey, C.J., Génot, V., Louarn, P., Luhmann, J.G., Russell, C.T., Farrugia, C.J., Galvin, A.B.: 2012, J. Geophys. Res.117, A09101. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Savani, N.P., Rouillard, A.P., Davies, J.A., Owens, M.J., Forsyth, R.J., Davis, C.J., Harrison, R.A.: 2009, Ann. Geophys.27, 4349. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Savani, N.P., Owens, M.J., Rouillard, A.P., Forsyth, R.J., Kusano, K., Shiota, D., Kataoka, R., Jian, L., Bothmer, V.: 2011, Astrophys. J.732, 117. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Sonnerup, B.U.Ö., Scheible, M.: 1998, ISSI Sci. Rep. Ser.1, 185.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Tousey, R.: 1973, Bull. Am. Astron. Soc.5, 419.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Vandas, M., Odstrcil, D., Watari, S.: 2002, J. Geophys. Res.107, 1236. DOI .

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vourlidas, A., Balmaceda, L.A., Stenborg, G., Dal Lago, A.: 2017, Astrophys. J.838, 141. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Winslow, R.M., Lugaz, N., Schwadron, N.A., Farrugia, C.J., Yu, W., Raines, J.M., Mays, M.L., Galvin, A.B., Zurbuchen, T.H.: 2016, J. Geophys. Res.121, 6092. DOI .

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Yu, W., Farrugia, C.J., Lugaz, N., Galvin, A.B., Kilpua, E.K.J., Kucharek, H., Möstl, C., Leitner, M., Torbert, R.B., Simunac, K.D.C., Luhmann, J.G., Szabo, A., Wilson, L.B., Ogilvie, K.W., Sauvaud, J.A.: 2014, J. Geophys. Res.119, 689. DOI .

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhang, G., Burlaga, L.F.: 1988, J. Geophys. Res.93, 2511. DOI .

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the referee for useful comments that helped improve this manuscript. We acknowledge the use of Wind data provided by the MFI and SWE teams at GSFC. This research was performed with funding from AGS-1433086, AGS-1433213, and AGS-1460179.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. IACS-Catholic University of America, Washington, DC, USA

    Nada Al-Haddad & Teresa Nieves-Chinchilla

  2. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD, USA

    Teresa Nieves-Chinchilla & Neel P. Savani

  3. University of Maryland Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Neel P. Savani

  4. Space Science Center and Department of Physics, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH, USA

    Noé Lugaz

  5. Center for mathematical Plasma Astrophysics, Katholieke Universiteit Leuven, Leuven, Belgium

    Ilia I. Roussev

Authors
  1. Nada Al-Haddad
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Teresa Nieves-Chinchilla
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Neel P. Savani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Noé Lugaz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ilia I. Roussev
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Nada Al-Haddad.

Ethics declarations

Disclosure of Potential Conflicts of Interests

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Additional information

Earth-affecting Solar Transients

Guest Editors: Jie Zhang, Xochitl Blanco-Cano, Nariaki Nitta, and Nandita Srivastava

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Al-Haddad, N., Nieves-Chinchilla, T., Savani, N.P. et al. Fitting and Reconstruction of Thirteen Simple Coronal Mass Ejections. Sol Phys 293, 73 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-018-1288-3

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-018-1288-3

Keywords

Search

Navigation