SHINE: Investigating the Dynamics of Coronal Mass Ejections from the Sun using Advanced Image Processing and Stereoscopy Techniques

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Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) represent the largest, most dynamic phenomena that originate from the Sun. CMEs are also the biggest drivers of geomagnetic storms here on Earth that can damage satellites or ground-based technology. Predicting how and when they might impact our planet requires knowledge of the physics governing their eruption and propagation through inter-planetary space. This project integrates elements of discovery, cutting-edge techniques and observations, and international collaboration to provide new insights on this topic of great economic and societal concern. Specifically, the project seeks to obtain new insight into the detailed structure and evolution of CMEs, using newly developed coronal image processing and stereoscopic techniques on multi-viewpoint observations of the solar corona that have only recently become available. The project will mostly be carried out by the co-investigator who is a postdoctoral fellow at University of Hawaii, under the mentor ship of the principal investigator, thereby promoting the research training of an early career scientist. International collaborators from United Kingdom and Ireland will also contribute to the project. This project concerns the development of improved methods for determining the dynamics of CME motion, and quantifying the associated uncertainties, which are proving successful for revealing the true trends in CME kinematics with much higher confidence than previously possible. These techniques also show great promise for exploring possible CME deflection and asymmetric expansion as they propagate through space. Specifically, the project will apply the advanced image processing methods of the CORIMP CME detection process, which combined with the recently developed elliptical tie-pointing technique allow for a three-dimensional analysis of CME structure and evolution for multiple events. Briefly stated, CORIMP characterizes the structure of CMEs in individual images via a dynamic separation process and multi-scale edge-detection algorithm, to study the dynamics of their propagation and evolution through space. The recently developed elliptical tie-pointing technique for 3D reconstructions of CMEs, is now being extended for use on combined SOHO and STEREO coronagraph images, in order to characterize CME morphology throughout the STEREO mission lifetime. As the spacecrafts have continued to separate in their orbits, they now provide unique observations from the far-side of the Sun, while SOHO provides ongoing observations from its location at L1 near Earth. A specific goal of the project is to generate 3D reconstructions of all candidate CMEs observed across the 7+ years of the STEREO mission.