Solar Sources of Coronal Mass Ejections

Abstract:

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) originate in the solar corona.
Due to recent ample solar images from space missions, especially the
STEREO mission, we know that CMEs initiate not only from flaring active
regions of strong magnetic field, prominence (filaments) in decayed
active regions, but also from coronal structures in higher corona
over regions no apparent strong magnetic fields on the solar
disk. Regardless the differences of their appearances, these regions
must all include non-potential magnetic field or free magnetic energy
in order to produce CMEs. When an energized magnetic structure erupts, 
the free magnetic energy converts to kinetic energy and few other types of
energy, and the magnetic structure leaves the corona and propagates into
the interplanetary space. At the source regions, the initiations
of CMEs often accompany with solar flares, filament eruptions, coronal
EUV dimmings and waves, and post eruption loop brightennings.
Studying the CME source regions and the processes is essential
for the understanding of CME initiation and their interplanetary consequences.