CMEs

  • Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are huge magnetic clouds which blow off the Sun at over a million miles per hour.

  • Densities of a few particles per cubic cm (like the solar wind in general).

  • We currently (Aug 2000 - solar max) observe about 4 per day. Around solar minimum this was closer to one every other day.

  • Their effects can be observed in both the inner and outer corona.

  • 5-10% of CMEs are pointed towards or away from Earth. These are called "halo" CMEs. SOHO is the first mission to observe them regularly.

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