Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) observations of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the heliosphere

J. Geophys. Res. 111, A12101, 2006

Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) observations of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the heliosphere

D.F. Webb and D. Mizuno
Inst. for Scientific Research, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

A. Buffington
Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, Univ. California San Diego, La Jolla, CA

M.P. Cooke and C.J. Eyles
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

C.D. Fry
Exploration Physics International, Incorporated, Huntsville, AL

L.C. Gentile
Institute for Scientific Research, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

P.P. Hick
Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, Univ. California San Diego, La Jolla, CA

P.E. Holladay
Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Hanscom Air Force Base, MA

T.A. Howard
Physics Department, Montana State University, Bozeman, MO

J.G. Hewitt
Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Hanscom Air Force Base, MA

B.V. Jackson
Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, Univ. California San Diego, La Jolla, CA

J.C. Johnston
Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Hanscom Air Force Base, MA

T.A. Kuchar
Institute for Scientific Research, Boston College, Chestnut Hill, MA

J.B. Mozer and S. Price
Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Hanscom Air Force Base, MA

R.R. Radick
Air Force Research Laboratory, Space Vehicles Directorate, Sunspot, NM

G.M. Simnett and S.J. Tappin
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK

Abstract

The Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI) on the Coriolis spacecraft has been obtaining white light images of nearly the full sky every 102 minutes for three years. We present statistical results of analysis of the SMEI observations of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) traveling through the inner heliosphere; 139 CMEs were observed during the first 1.5 years of operations. At least 30 of these CMEs were observed by SMEI to propagate out to 1 AU and beyond and were associated with major geomagnetic storms at Earth. Most of these were observed as frontside halo events by the SOHO LASCO coronagraphs.