Constraining the Kinematics of Coronal Mass Ejections in the Inner Heliosphere with In-Situ Signatures

Academic Article

Abstract

  • We present a new approach to combine remote observations and in situ data by STEREO/HI and Wind, respectively, to derive the kinematics and propagation directions of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs). We used two methods, Fixed-Phi and Harmonic Mean, to convert ICME elongations into distance, and constrained the ICME direction such that the ICME distance-time and velocity-time profiles are most consistent with in situ measurements of the arrival time and velocity. The derived velocity-time functions from the Sun to 1 AU for the three events under study (1-6 June 2008, 13-18 February 2009, 3-5 April 2010) do not show strong differences for the two extreme geometrical assumptions of a wide ICME with a circular front (Harmonic Mean) or an ICME of small spatial extent in the ecliptic (Fixed-Phi). Due to the geometrical assumptions, Harmonic Mean delivers the propagation direction further away from the observing spacecraft with a mean difference of ~25 degree.
  • Authors

  • Rollett, T
  • Moestl, C
  • Temmer, M
  • Veronig, AM
  • Farrugia, Charles
  • Biernat, HK
  • Status

    Publication Date

  • February 2012
  • Has Subject Area

    Keywords

  • astro-ph.SR
  • Digital Object Identifier (doi)

    Start Page

  • 293
  • End Page

  • 314
  • Volume

  • 276
  • Issue

  • 1-2