PRICM3: A novel Polarization Ratio framework for three-dimensional CME reconstruction
Abstract
Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are inherently three-dimensional (3D), but traditional white-light coronagraphs provide only two-dimensional (2D) projections. While the Polarization Ratio Technique (PRT) utilizes Thomson scattering to infer proxy 3D plasma locations, its results are typically limited to 2D topographical maps, hindering geometric interpretation. To address this, we introduce PRICM3 (Polarization Ratio Integrated CME Mapper in 3D), a framework that converts PRT-derived maps into explicit 3D point-cloud reconstructions. This tool enables intuitive visualization, multi-viewpoint comparison, and direct validation against geometric models such as the Graduated Cylindrical Shell (GCS). As a proof-of-concept, we analyzed a limb CME observed on 28 October 2021 using data from Solar Orbiter/Metis, SOHO/LASCO, and STEREO-A/COR2. The independent reconstructions converged into a consistent 3D volume that aligned remarkably well with the corresponding GCS geometry. These results prove that the 3D information embedded in PRT topographical maps can be successfully recovered through spatial reconstruction. PRICM3 offers a powerful, intuitive method for interpreting polarimetric coronagraph observations, providing a vital tool for current and future solar missions such as Proba-3/ASPIICS and PUNCH.
Cite
@article{arxiv.2607.28506,
title = {PRICM3: A novel Polarization Ratio framework for three-dimensional CME reconstruction},
author = {Yara De Leo and Manuela Temmer and Fernando M. López and Sarah E. Gibson and Hebe Cremades and Leonardo Di Lorenzo and Roberto Susino and Marco Romoli and Lucia Abbo and Aleksandr Burtovoi and Chiara Casini and Michele Fabi and Federica Frassati and Giovanna Jerse and Federico Landini and Maurizio Pancrazzi and Giuliana Russano and Clementina Sasso},
journal= {arXiv preprint arXiv:2607.28506},
year = {2026}
}
Comments
Submitted to The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series. 12 pages, 6 figures, 1 table. Software repository will be made publicly available upon journal acceptance