Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Progressive Transformation of a Flux Rope to an ICME

Comparative Analysis Using the Direct and Fitted Expansion Methods

  • Published:
Solar Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The solar wind conditions at one astronomical unit (AU) can be strongly disturbed by interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs). A subset, called magnetic clouds (MCs), is formed by twisted flux ropes that transport an important amount of magnetic flux and helicity, which is released in CMEs. At 1 AU from the Sun, the magnetic structure of MCs is generally modeled by neglecting their expansion during the spacecraft crossing. However, in some cases, MCs present a significant expansion. We present here an analysis of the huge and significantly expanding MC observed by the Wind spacecraft during 9 – 10 November 2004. This MC was embedded in an ICME. After determining an approximate orientation for the flux rope using the minimum variance method, we obtain a precise orientation of the cloud axis by relating its front and rear magnetic discontinuities using a direct method. This method takes into account the conservation of the azimuthal magnetic flux between the inbound and outbound branches and is valid for a finite impact parameter (i.e., not necessarily a small distance between the spacecraft trajectory and the cloud axis). The MC is also studied using dynamic models with isotropic expansion. We have found (6.2±1.5)×1020 Mx for the axial flux and (78±18)×1020 Mx for the azimuthal flux. Moreover, using the direct method, we find that the ICME is formed by a flux rope (MC) followed by an extended coherent magnetic region. These observations are interpreted by considering the existence of a previously larger flux rope, which partially reconnected with its environment in the front. We estimate that the reconnection process started close to the Sun. These findings imply that the ejected flux rope is progressively peeled by reconnection and transformed to the observed ICME (with a remnant flux rope in the front part).

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Attrill, G., Nakwacki, M.S., Harra, L.K., van Driel-Gesztelyi, L., Mandrini, C.H., Dasso, S., Wang, J.: 2006, Solar Phys. 238, 117.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Berdichevsky, D.B., Lepping, R.P., Farrugia, C.J.: 2003, Phys. Rev. E 67(3), 036405.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Bothmer, V., Schwenn, R.: 1998, Ann. Geophys. 16, 1.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Burlaga, L.F.: 1988, J. Geophys. Res. 93, 7217.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Burlaga, L.F.: 1995, Interplanetary Magnetohydrodynamics, Oxford University Press, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cane, H.V., Richardson, I.G., Wibberenz, G.: 1997, J. Geophys. Res. 102, 7075.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Cid, C., Hidalgo, M.A., Nieves-Chinchilla, T., Sequeiros, J., Viñas, A.F.: 2002, Solar Phys. 207, 187.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Dasso, S., Mandrini, C.H., Démoulin, P., Farrugia, C.J.: 2003, J. Geophys. Res. 108(A10), 1362.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dasso, S., Gulisano, A.M., Mandrini, C.H., Démoulin, P.: 2005a, Adv. Space Res. 35, 2172.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Dasso, S., Mandrini, C.H., Démoulin, P., Luoni, M.L., Gulisano, A.M.: 2005b, Adv. Space Res. 35, 711.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Dasso, S., Mandrini, C.H., Démoulin, P., Luoni, M.L.: 2006, Astron. Astrophys. 455, 349.

    Article  MATH  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Farris, M.H., Russell, C.T.: 1994, J. Geophys. Res. 99, 17681.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Farrugia, C.J., Osherovich, V.A., Burlaga, L.F.: 1997, Ann. Geophys. 28, 152.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Farrugia, C.J., Burlaga, L.F., Osherovich, V.A., Richardson, I.G., Freeman, M.P., Lepping, R.P., Lazarus, A.J.: 1993, J. Geophys. Res. 98, 7621.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Farrugia, C.J., et al.: 1999, AIP Conf. Proc. 471, 745.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Farrugia, C.J., et al.: 2001, Adv. Space Res. 28, 759.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Foullon, C., Owen, C.J., Dasso, S, Green, L.M., Dandouras, I., Elliott, H.A., Fazakerley, A.N., Bogdanova, Y.V., Crooker, N.N.: 2007, Solar Phys., DOI: 10.1007/s11207-007-0355-y.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gibson, S.E., Fan, Y., Mandrini, C., Fisher, G., Démoulin, P.: 2004, Astrophys. J. 617, 600.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Goldstein, H.: 1983, In: Solar Wind Conference, 731.

  • Gosling, J.T., Skoug, R.M., McComas, D.J., Smith, C.W.: 2005, J. Geophys. Res. 110, 1107.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Gulisano, A.M., Dasso, S., Mandrini, C.H., Démoulin, P.: 2005, J. Atmos. Solar Terr. Phys. 67, 1761.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Harra, L.K., Crooker, N.N., Mandrini, C.H., van Driel-Gesztelyi, L., Dasso, S., Wang, Y.X., Elliott, H., Attrill, G.D., Jackson, B.V., Bisi, M.B.: 2007, Solar Phys., DOI: 10.1007/s11207-007-9002-x.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hidalgo, M.A.: 2003, J. Geophys. Res. 108(A8), 1320.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hidalgo, M.A., Cid, C., Vinas, A.F., Sequeiros, J.: 2002, J. Geophys. Res. 107(A1), 1002.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hu, Q., Sonnerup, B.U.Ö.: 2001, Geophys. Res. Lett. 28, 467.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, L.W., Burlaga, L.F.: 1982, J. Geophys. Res. 87(A16), 613.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lepping, R.P., Burlaga, L.F., Jones, J.A.: 1990, J. Geophys. Res. 95, 11957.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lepping, R.P., et al.: 1995, Space Sci. Rev. 71, 207.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lepping, R.P., Berdichevsky, D.B., Szabo, A., Arqueros, C., Lazarus, A.J.: 2003, Solar Phys. 212, 425.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Longcope, D., Beveridge, C., Qiu, J., Ravindra, B., Barnes, G., Dasso, S.: 2007, Solar Phys., DOI: 10.1007/s11207-007-0330-7.

  • Lundquist, S.: 1950, Ark. Fys. 2, 361.

    MathSciNet  Google Scholar 

  • Lynch, B.J., Zurbuchen, T.H., Fisk, L.A., Antiochos, S.K.: 2003, J. Geophys. Res. 108(A6), 1239.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mandrini, C.H., Pohjolainen, S., Dasso, S., Green, L.M., Démoulin, P., van Driel-Gesztelyi, L., Copperwheat, C., Foley, C.: 2005, Astron. Astrophys. 434, 725.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Mandrini, C.H., Nakwacki, M.S., Attrill, G., van Driel-Gesztelyi, L., Démoulin, P., Dasso, S., Elliott, H.: 2007, Solar Phys., in press.

  • Morales, L.F., Dasso, S., Gómez, D.O.: 2005, J. Geophys. Res. 110, 4204.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mulligan, T., et al.: 1999, AIP Conf. Proc. 471, 689.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Nakwacki, M.S., Dasso, S., Mandrini, C.H., Démoulin, P.: 2005, In: Proceedings Solar Wind 11 – SOHO 16, ESA SP-592, ESA, Noordwijk, 629.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nakwacki, M.S., Dasso, S., Mandrini, C.H., Démoulin, P.: 2007, J. Atmos. Solar Terr. Phys., submitted.

  • Ogilvie, K.W., et al.: 1995, Space Sci. Rev. 71, 55.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Osherovich, V.A., Farrugia, C.J., Burlaga, L.F.: 1993, J. Geophys. Res. 98(A8), 13225.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Qiu, J., Hu, Q., Howard, T.A., Yurchyshyn, V.B.: 2007, Astrophys. J. 659, 758.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Riley, P., et al.: 2004, J. Atmos. Solar Terr. Phys. 66, 1321.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, C.T., Mulligan, T.: 2002, Adv. Space Res. 29, 301.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, C.T., Shinde, A.A.: 2005, Solar Phys. 229, 323.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Schmidt, J.M., Cargill, P.J.: 2003, J. Geophys. Res. 108, 5.

    Google Scholar 

  • Shimazu, H., Vandas, M.: 2002, Earth Planets Space 54, 783.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Sonnerup, B.U., Cahill, L.J.: 1967, J. Geophys. Res. 72, 171.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Török, T., Kliem, B.: 2005, Astrophys. J. Lett. 630, L97.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Vandas, M., Romashets, E.P.: 2002, In: Solar Variability: From Core to Outer Frontiers, ESA SP-506, ESA, Noordwijk, 217.

    Google Scholar 

  • Vandas, M., Romashets, E.P.: 2003, Astron. Astrophys. 398, 801.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Vršnak, B., Gopalswamy, N.: 2002, J. Geophys. Res. 107(A2), 1019.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Williams, D.R., Török, T., Démoulin, P., van Driel-Gesztelyi, L., Kliem, B.: 2005, Astrophys. J. Lett. 628, L163.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Wimmer-Schweingruber, R.F., et al.: 2006, Space Sci. Rev. 123, 177.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Astronomía y Física del Espacio, CONICET-UBA, CC. 67, Suc. 28, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    S. Dasso, M. S. Nakwacki & C. H. Mandrini

  2. Departamento de Física, Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales, Universidad de Buenos Aires, 1428, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    S. Dasso

  3. Observatoire de Paris, LESIA, UMR 8109 (CNRS), 92195, Meudon Principal Cedex, France

    P. Démoulin

Authors
  1. S. Dasso
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. S. Nakwacki
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. P. Démoulin
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. C. H. Mandrini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Dasso.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Dasso, S., Nakwacki, M.S., Démoulin, P. et al. Progressive Transformation of a Flux Rope to an ICME. Sol Phys 244, 115–137 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-007-9034-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-007-9034-2

Keywords

Search

Navigation