The solar origin of the January 1997 coronal mass ejection, magnetic cloud and geomagnetic storm
Abstract
The magnetic cloud and geomagnetic storm on January 10-11, 1997 were associated with a halo-type Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) observed by the SOHO/LASCO coronagraphs near the sun on January 6. We summarize the solar activity related to this CME and the subsequent storm at Earth. This solar activity was remarkably weak and unimpressive. If the wide CME had not been observed, the storm would not have been forecast. Thus this case represents an extreme example of so-called “problem” magnetic storms that lack obvious surface signatures of eruptive solar activity. It supports the view that CMEs involve the destabilization of large-scale coronal structures which may or may not have associated surface activity, and that CMEs, not the surface activity, are the key causal link between solar eruptions and space weather at Earth.
- Publication:
-
Geophysical Research Letters
- Pub Date:
- July 1998
- DOI:
- 10.1029/98GL00493
- Bibcode:
- 1998GeoRL..25.2469W
- Keywords:
-
- Solar Physics;
- Astrophysics;
- and Astronomy: Coronal mass ejections;
- Magnetospheric Physics: Forecasting;
- Solar Physics;
- Astrophysics;
- and Astronomy: Prominence eruptions;
- Interplanetary Physics: Ejecta;
- driver gases;
- and magnetic clouds