On the Relationship between Solar Magnetic Forces and CME Momenta
Abstract
Free magnetic energy is the energy source of solar flares and CMEs. At the initiation of a CME, the free magnetic energy converts to kinetic energy and few other types of energy. Observable magnetic field sudden changes have been found at the onset of flares. The Lorentz force around the onset of a flare have been formulated in recent studies and can be estimated using photospheric vector magnetic field data. It is proposed that outward Lorentz force impulses could be related to CME momenta. We analyze about 30 CMEs and their source region magnetic fields. The best vector magnetic field data are observed for active regions near the center of the solar disk. We first select CMEs that appear to be halo or partial halo CMEs in the LASCO images, and then we use STEREO SECCHI COR2 white light images to estimate CME mass and speed. We then estimate the Lorentz forces in the source active regions at the flare onset using SDO HMI photosheric vector magnetic field data. We report our studies and describe our analyses.This study is under the support of NSF grants.
- Publication:
-
AAS/AGU Triennial Earth-Sun Summit
- Pub Date:
- April 2015
- Bibcode:
- 2015TESS....130219L