A composite image from the SECCHI instruments on the STEREO-A and STEREO-B spacecraft of the coronal mass ejection (CME) from December (credit: doi:10.1038/ncomms1077)
A composite image from the SECCHI instruments on the STEREO-A and STEREO-B spacecraft of the coronal mass ejection (CME) from December (credit: doi:10.1038/ncomms1077)
Their work has directly shown the complicated nature of a CME’s motion through space. They showed that a CME’s motion is affected by aerodynamic drag, at times accelerating while traveling in a zigzag, not a straight path. This work will allow scientists to better predict a CME’s path and arrival time strenghting the understanding of how and when such events can affect the earth.
The findings are discussed in more detail in an article by Dr. Tony Phillips at NASA, Solar Storms can Change Directions, Surprising Forecasters.
Great job guys!!!!
Below is a movie of the 3D visualization.
[mejsvideo src=”https://www.thesuntoday.org/video/Gallagher_movie/Gallagher_movie_post.mov” width=”576″ height=”324″]