CME's and x-ray flares.

[Michael]

http://stereo-ssc.nascom.nasa.gov/br...vi_195_512.mpg

The STEREO-Behind 195-A images show two active regions in the northern hemisphere that are close together and have started electromagnetically interacting with each other. These are pretty much prime conditions for x-ray flares and CME's IMO.

If you've got bandwidth to burn, these two SDO images are very cool and show the active areas coming over the horizon at about the 10:00 position.

http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/assets/img/..._1024_0131.mpg
http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/assets/img/..._1024_1600.mpg

The second image shows the effect of the coronal loops coming up and through the photosphere and the effect of these discharges on the surface (and above the surface) of the photosphere.

 

[Michael]

http://sohowww.nascom.nasa.gov/data/LATEST/current_c3.mpg

FYI, the two interactive active regions have generated at least one CME now. Fortunately the areas in question are still pointed away from Earth so that CME is unlikely to effect Earth, but that region will be rotating our direction over the next week.

 

[Michael]

http://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/assets/img/..._1024_0193.mpg

There seem to be at least two types of CME's that took place on the 22nd, one that I would describe as an electromagnetic CME, and one I'll describe as a "dark CME" (cause I know you guys love dark stuff, and this does begin with dark plasma). Both types are visible on the 22nd in the SDO data. The electromagnetic CME took place about the 10:00 position between the two active regions coming over the horizon. That was the CME I expected. The other one however takes place in the northern polar region and seems to be related to "dense" or "dark" plasma that rises up from the photosphere and eventually "blows" for lack of a better term. That one I did not expect but there are "signs" associated with these types of CME's just as there are 'signs" that of an electromagnetic flare/CME.

The electromagnetic surface interactions triggered the first flare along the limb, but the northern flare almost looks "chemical" in terms of the source of the explosive force, and there is an "evaporation" sort of process that takes place during that type of a CME. I noticed that type of CME in the SOHO data a few years ago. These seem to be "polar" processes for the most part and typically form in the northern hemisphere.

http://www.thesurfaceofthesun.com/im...14_eit_195.mpg

The SOHO image actually accentuates the "dark' flare/CME scenario better than the SDO image IMO. I probably should have saved the 48 hour SDO loop video at 193A that showed the process a little more clearly because of the longer duration.