Proc. SPIE 5901, 590101, 1−12, 2005
Solar Physics and Space Weather Instrumentation
S. Fineschi and R.A. Viereck (eds.)
© SPIE − The International Society for Optical Engineering
Low Resolution Three Dimensional Reconstruction of CMEs Using Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) Data
B.V. Jackson, A. Buffington, P. Hick and X. Wang
Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, University of California San Diego
Abstract
White-light Thomson scattering observations from the Solar Mass Ejection Imager
(SMEI) have recorded the inner heliospheric response to many CMEs. Here we
detail how we determine the extent of several CME events in SMEI observations
(including those of 28 May 28 and 28 October, 2003). We show how we are able
to measure these events from their first observations as close as 20° from
the solar disk until they fade away in the SMEI 180° field of view. We employ
a 3D reconstruction technique that provides perspective views from
outward-flowing solar wind as observed at Earth. This is accomplished by
iteratively fitting the parameters of a kinematic solar wind density model to
the SMEI white light observations and to Solar-Terrestrial Environment
Laboratory (STELab), interplanetary scintillation (IPS) velocity data. This
3D modeling technique enables separating the true heliospheric response in
SMEI from background noise, and reconstructing the 3D heliospheric structure
as a function of time. These reconstructions allow both separation of the
28 October CME from other nearby heliospheric structure and a determination
of its mass. Comparisons with LASCO for individual CMEs or portions of
them allow a detailed view of changes to the CME shape and mass as they
propagate outward.