Direct Detection of a CME-Associated Shock in LASCO White Light Images
Abstract
The LASCO C2 and C3 coronagraphs recorded a unique coronal mass ejection on April 2, 1999. The event did not have the typical three-part CME structure and involved a small filament eruption without any visibile overlying streamer ejecta. The event exhibited an unusually clear signature of a wave propagating at the CME flanks. The speed and density of the CME front and flanks were consistent with the existence of a shock. To better establish the nature of the white light wave signature, we employed a simple MHD simulation using the LASCO measurements as constraints. Both the measurements and the simulation strongly suggest that the white light feature is the density enhancement from a fast-mode MHD shock. In addition, the LASCO images clearly show streamers being deflected when the shock impinges on them. It is the first direct imaging of this interaction.
Cite
@article{arxiv.astro-ph/0308367,
title = {Direct Detection of a CME-Associated Shock in LASCO White Light Images},
author = {A. Vourlidas and S. T. Wu and A. H. Wang and P. Subramanian and R. A. Howard},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:astro-ph/0308367},
year = {2009}
}
Comments
Accepted for publication in the ApJ