Comparison of Two Coronal Mass Ejections Observed by EIT and LASCO with a Model of an Erupting Magnetic Flux Rope

Open Access
Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
We present observations of two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) observed by the LASCO and EIT instruments on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. One was observed on 1997 April 30 and the other on 1997 February 23. The latter CME is accompanied by a spectacular prominence eruption and reaches velocities of about 900 km s-1, while the former has no apparent accompanying prominence eruption and attains velocities of only about 300 km s-1. However, the two CMEs are similar in appearance, having bright circular rims that can be interpreted as marking the apexes of expanding magnetic flux ropes, and both can be tracked from their origins near the surface of the Sun out to great distances. We compare the kinematic and morphological properties of these CMEs with an MHD model of an erupting flux rope and find that the CMEs can be successfully modeled in this manner.