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Coronal mass ejections: The key to major interplanetary and geomagnetic disturbances
Author(s) -
Webb David F.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
reviews of geophysics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 8.087
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1944-9208
pISSN - 8755-1209
DOI - 10.1029/95rg00345
Subject(s) - coronal mass ejection , interplanetary spaceflight , geomagnetic storm , physics , heliosphere , solar energetic particles , earth's magnetic field , solar flare , space weather , geophysics , solar wind , astronomy , plasma , magnetic field , quantum mechanics
For years it was thought that solar flares were responsible for major interplanetary (IP) particle events and geomagnetic storms. However, recently we have seen an important paradigm shift such that now coronal mass ejections (CMEs), not flares, are considered the key causal link with solar activity. CMEs are vast structures of plasma and magnetic fields that are expelled from the sun into the heliosphere. We now know that CMEs drive all large geomagnetic storms and their attendant effects, such as auroral displays. Fast CMEs produce transient IP shocks which cause sudden commencements at Earth. The CME‐related shocks also accelerate the solar energetic particle (SEP) events associated with major IP disturbances and with radiation hazards at Earth. This new paradigm has important implications for prioritizing the development of instruments and techniques to predict IP disturbances and geomagnetic activity.