CME Population Distributions: Science Facilitated by the VSO
Abstract
The Virtual Solar Observatory (VSO) exists to simplify and unify access to Solar Physics data. It provides a single interface to a broad spectrum of data types and sources which previously would have required considerable effort to collect. Using this ability to combine data sources, we access the entire SOHO/LASCO CME catalog and compare it with GOES observations of X-ray flares. Because we consider these data in their entirety, we find several instances where the results of less extensive studies may show unintentional selection effects. As a subpopulation, we specifically consider LASCO-observed halo CMEs. In agreement with previous studies, we find halo CMEs are the bulk of the fastest events. This selection effect is consistent with randomly-distributed CMEs extending over wide angles (>120 degrees). We also examine the lack of slower halo CMEs; otherwise randomly-distributed events are rarely Earth-directed. While geometric and Thomson scattering issues make less-energetic halo CMEs hard to detect, this dearth of slow observations may represent an additional seeing threshold. The lack of low-energy detections may account for the disparity in LASCO.s prediction of Kp ≥ 6 vs. Kp ≥ 5 geomagnetic storms.
- Publication:
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AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- May 2005
- Bibcode:
- 2005AGUSMSP23A..09D
- Keywords:
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- 7513 Coronal mass ejections;
- 7594 Instruments and techniques