The Solar Cycle Dependence of In Situ Properties of Two Types of Interplanetary CMEs during 1999–2020

Abstract

Generally, in situ parameters of interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) are analyzed as a whole, or ICMEs are classified by speed or whether they are with and without magnetic clouds. Zhai and colleagues found that ICMEs with and without flares can be extracted only by the average charge states of iron (Q Fe). In the present study, the ICMEs are categorized into two types, flare CMEs (FCs) and nonflare CMEs (NFCs) by the Q Fe. We find that the occurrence rates of FCs and NFCs are both decreased from solar maximum to minimum. The occurrence rates and proportions of FCs are both higher in solar cycle 23 than in solar cycle 24. In contrast, the occurrence rates of NFCs are almost the same during the two solar cycles. The durations of FCs are longer than those of NFCs. The fractions of FCs and NFCs that are associated with magnetic clouds (MCs) or magnetic field direction rotation evidence are 73% and 69%, respectively. The speed, Q Fe, O7+/O6+, helium abundance (A He), and first ionization potential bias are all higher for FCs than for NFCs. The above parameters inside NFCs and solar wind are almost the same. The solar cycle dependence of the parameters inside NFCs is more clear than that inside FCs. The statistical results demonstrate that the material sources of FCs are not completely the same as those of NFCs. Part of the material inside FCs should come from the lower atmosphere where the A He is higher. The statistical results indicate that all CMEs are associated with flux ropes on the Sun.