Single- and Multi-View 3D Localization and Analysis of Coronal Mass Ejections
ROSES ID: NNH08ZDA001N Selection Year: 2009
Program Element: Focused Science Topic
Principal Investigator: Curt A de Koning
Summary:
Single- and multi-view white light imaging of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the corona
oers exciting possibilities for meeting research and space weather forecasting needs. Since
the launch of the dual STEREO (Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory) spacecraft, we
have worked to develop and test the geometric localization technique [Pizzo and Biesecker,
2004], which utilizes a series of lines of sight from the two STEREO/COR2 coronagraphs
to determine gross propagation characteristics of CMEs in three-dimensional space. This
technique is now mature and can regularly be used for space weather forecasting, using
highly-compressed, near-real-time beacon data, and for research purposes, using the standard
science quality data. The method enables us to compute the location and velocity, including
speed and direction, for any CME observed by STEREO. Therefore, we propose to regularly
apply this technique to upcoming STEREO data in the lead-up to solar maximum, and
especially at solar maximum. We will catalog our results and make them available to the
Living With a Star community to facilitate their use in MHD and other numerical codes
that track the progress of CMEs in the inner heliosphere. It is our belief that the future
forecasting ecacy of such models requires accurate model boundary conditions, including
the parameters of transient disturbances that are launched into the code.
In addition, we also propose to develop a near-real-time tool for use in our space weather
forecast center that uses single-view polarimetric imaging from STEREO or SOHO to determine
gross CME properties. The polarimetric imaging tool also has important scientic
application in analyzing the internal structure of a CME.
The following goals of this proposal are applicable to space weather forecasting and have
clear scientic value:
Create a catalog of gross CME characteristics using geometric localization applied to
the STEREO beacon data stream;
Use accurate statistical knowledge of gross CME properties obtained from geometric
localization to explore associations among solar surface, coronal, and interplanetary
structures and disturbances for Earth-directed geo-eective CMEs;
Develop polarimetric localization tool
{ Use simulations to identify optimal background subtraction for accurate polarization
analysis;
{ Compare polarimetric localization results to geometric localization results and
other 3D-reconstruction techniques;
Analyze CME internal structure using polarization analysis;
Document combined geometric and polarimetric localization tools and deliver programs
to the IDL SolarSoft library.
These projects, which have compelling space weather and scientic impact, address LWS
TR&T Focused Science Topic B. The proposal also addresses NASA Strategic Goal 3, Subgoal
3B, and Research Objective 3B.3.
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