Deflection and Rotation of CMEs from Active Region 11158

Abstract

Between the 13 and 16 of February 2011 a series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) erupted from multiple polarity inversion lines within active region 11158. For seven of these CMEs we use the Graduated Cylindrical Shell (GCS) flux rope model to determine the CME trajectory using both Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and coronagraph images. We then use the Forecasting a CME's Altered Trajectory (ForeCAT) model for nonradial CME dynamics driven by magnetic forces, to simulate the deflection and rotation of the seven CMEs. We find good agreement between the ForeCAT results and the reconstructed CME positions and orientations. The CME deflections range in magnitude between 10 degrees and 30 degrees. All CMEs deflect to the north but we find variations in the direction of the longitudinal deflection. The rotations range between 5\mydeg and 50\mydeg with both clockwise and counterclockwise rotations occurring. Three of the CMEs begin with initial positions within 2 degrees of one another. These three CMEs all deflect primarily northward, with some minor eastward deflection, and rotate counterclockwise. Their final positions and orientations, however, respectively differ by 20 degrees and 30 degrees. This variation in deflection and rotation results from differences in the CME expansion and radial propagation close to the Sun, as well as the CME mass. Ultimately, only one of these seven CMEs yielded discernible in situ signatures near Earth, despite the active region facing near Earth throughout the eruptions. We suggest that the differences in the deflection and rotation of the CMEs can explain whether each CME impacted or missed the Earth.

18 pages, 6 figures, accepted in Solar Physics

References in corpus (7)

• Ensemble modeling of CMEs using the WSA-ENLIL+Cone model
• Kinematic Evolution of a Slow CME in Corona Viewed by STEREO-B on 8 October 2007
• Global Trends of CME Deflections Based on CME and Solar Parameters
• Origins of Rolling, Twisting and Non-Radial Propagation of Eruptive Solar Events
• Three-dimensional evolution of erupted flux ropes from the Sun (2-20 Rs) to 1 AU
• Using ForeCAT Deflections and Rotations to Constrain the Early Evolution of CMEs
• Constraining the Mass and the Non-Radial Drag Coefficient of a Solar Coronal Mass Ejection

Cited by in corpus (14)

• Magnetohydrodynamic Modeling of a Solar Eruption Associated with X9.3 Flare Observed in Active Region 12673
• CMEs in the Heliosphere: I. A Statistical Analysis of the Observational Properties of CMEs Detected in the Heliosphere from 2007 to 2017 by STEREO/HI-1
• What is Unusual about the Third Largest Geomagnetic Storm of Solar Cycle 24?
• Collection, Collation, and Comparison of 3D Coronal CME Reconstructions
• Using the Coronal Evolution to Successfully Forward Model CMEs' In Situ Magnetic Profiles
• OSPREI: A Coupled Approach to Modeling CME-Driven Space Weather with Automatically-Generated, User-Friendly Outputs
• Analysis of large deflections of prominence-CME events during the rising phase of solar cycle 24
• On Deflection of Solar Coronal Mass Ejections by the Ambient Coronal Magnetic Field Configuration
• Probing Subsurface Flows in Active Region NOAA 12192 - Comparison with NOAA 10486
• Polarity relevance in flux rope deflections triggered by coronal holes
• Coronal dimmings as indicators of early CME propagation direction
• Determination of CME orientation and consequences for their propagation
• Early Evolution of Earth-Directed Coronal Mass Ejections in the Vicinity of Coronal Holes
• On the analysis of eruptive events with non-radial evolution