Coronal Mass Ejections Trajectories Research Articles

Deflection of Coronal Mass Ejections in Unipolar Ambient Magnetic Fields

Abstract The trajectories of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are often seen to deviate substantially from a purely radial propagation direction. Such deviations occur predominantly in the corona and have been attributed to “channeling” or deflection of the eruptive flux by asymmetric ambient magnetic fields. Here, we investigate an additional mechanism that does not require any asymmetry of the preeruptive ambient field. Using magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulations, we show that the trajectories of CMEs through the solar corona can significantly deviate from the radial direction when propagation takes place in a unipolar radial field. We demonstrate that the deviation is most prominent below ∼15 R ⊙ and can be attributed to an “effective I × B force” that arises from the intrusion of a magnetic flux rope with a net axial electric current into a unipolar background field. These results are important for predictions of CME trajectories in the context of space-weather forecasts, as well as for reaching a deeper understanding of the fundamental physics underlying CME interactions with the ambient fields in the extended solar corona.

Trajectories of coronal mass ejection from solar-type stars

ABSTRACT The Sun and other solar-type stars have magnetic fields that permeate their interior and surface, extend through the interplanetary medium, and are the main drivers of stellar activity. Stellar magnetic activity affects the physical processes and conditions of the interplanetary medium and orbiting planets. Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are the most impactful of these phenomena in near-Earth space weather and consist of plasma clouds with a magnetic field, ejected from the solar corona. Precisely predicting the trajectory of CMEs is crucial in determining whether a CME will hit a planet and impact its magnetosphere and atmosphere. Despite the rapid developments in the search for stellar CMEs, their detection is still very incipient. In this work, we aim to better understand the propagation of CMEs by analysing the influence of initial parameters on CME trajectories, such as position, velocities, and the stellar magnetic field’s configuration. We reconstruct magnetograms for Kepler-63 (KIC 11554435) and Kepler-411 (KIC 11551692) from spot transit mapping, and use a CME deflection model, ForeCAT, to simulate trajectories of hypothetical CMEs launched into the interplanetary medium from Kepler-63 and Kepler-411. We apply the same methodology to the Sun, for comparison. Our results show that in general deflections and rotations of CMEs decrease with their radial velocity and increase with ejection latitude. Moreover, magnetic fields stronger than the Sun’s, such as Kepler-63’s, tend to cause greater CME deflections.

Drag Force on Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

AbstractThe drag force experienced by coronal mass ejections (CMEs) plays an important role in determining the dynamics of CMEs. Numerous empirical studies have attempted to estimate the drag coefficient (cd) using the assumption that the observed deceleration of CMEs is primarily caused by drag alone. The observed CME motion, however, is determined by the net force—the sum of all the forces, and data contain no information to allow one to separately determine the individual forces. In the present work, we revisit the forces acting on CMEs using the erupting flux rope (EFR) model, making no assumptions on the magnitude of any force. Calculating the individual forces for four observed CME trajectories, it is shown that drag is generally not the dominant retarding force and that drag, magnetic tension, and pressure gradient can yield comparable deceleration. No force can be assumed negligible. It is further shown that the EFR equations can qualitatively replicate the observed deceleration with zero drag, contradicting the assertion that deceleration of CMEs necessarily implies the dominance of drag. A theoretical derivation of the drag coefficient cd for flux‐rope CMEs is given for a range of idealized flows including the so‐called “snow plow” effect. We show that cd ∼ 0–1 unless the snow‐plow effect is significant or the solar wind flows are specularly reflected, in which case cd ∼ 2–3. The values of cd predicted by the EFR model for the observed trajectories are cd ≃ 1.1–1.2 for three events and cd ≃ 0.4 for one.

Influence of Coronal Holes on CME Deflections: Numerical Study

Abstract The understanding of the causes that produce the deflection of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is essential for the space weather forecast. We study the effects on CME trajectories produced by the different properties of a coronal hole (CH), close to the ejection area. We perform ideal magnetohydrodynamics simulations emulating the early rising of the CME in the presence of a CH. We find that, the stronger the magnetic field and the wider the CH area, the larger the CME deflection. The deflection reduces as the CH moves away from the ejection region. To quantify the deflection we propose a dimensionless parameter that depends on the CH properties. We show that a minimum magnetic energy region, responsible for the deflection, is associated with the presence of the CH near the CME. We establish a relationship between the CH properties, the location of the minimum magnetic region, and the CME deflection.

Asymmetric expansion of coronal mass ejections in the low corona

Aims. Understanding how magnetic fields are structured within coronal mass ejections (CMEs), and how they evolve from the low corona into the heliosphere, is a major challenge for space weather forecasting and for solar physics. The study of CME morphology is a particularly auspicious approach to this problem, given that it holds a close relationship with the CME magnetic field configuration. Although earlier studies have suggested an asymmetry in the width of CMEs in orthogonal directions, this has not been inspected using multi-viewpoint observations. Methods. The improved spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution, added to the multiple vantage points offered by missions of the Heliophysics System Observatory, constitute a unique opportunity to gain insight into this regard. We inspect the early evolution (below ten solar radii) of the morphology of a dozen CMEs occurring under specific conditions of observing spacecraft location and CME trajectory, favorable to reduce uncertainties typically involved in the 3D reconstruction used here. These events are carefully reconstructed by means of a forward modeling tool using simultaneous observations of the Solar-Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) Extreme Ultraviolet Imager and the Solar Dynamics Observatory Atmospheric Imaging Assembly as input when originating low in the corona, and followed up in the outer fields of view of the STEREO and the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory coronagraphs. We then examine the height evolution of the morphological parameters arising from the reconstructions. Results. The multi-viewpoint analysis of this set of CMEs revealed that their initial expansion – below three solar radii – is considerably asymmetric and non-self-similar. Both angular widths, namely along the main axes of CMEs (AWL) and in the orthogonal direction (AWD, representative of the flux rope diameter), exhibit much steeper change rates below this height, with the growth rate of AWL found to be larger than that of AWD, also below that height. Angular widths along the main axes of CMEs are on average ≈1.8 times larger than widths in the orthogonal direction AWD. The ratios of the two expansion speeds, namely in the directions of CMEs main axes and in their orthogonal, are nearly constant in time after ∼4 solar radii, with an average ratio ≈1.6. Heights at which the width change rate is defined to stabilize are greater for AWL than for AWD.

Large non-radial propagation of a coronal mass ejection on 2011 January 24

Understanding the deflection of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) is of great interest to the space weather community because of their implications for improving the prediction of CME. This paper aims to shed light into the effects of the coronal magnetic field environment on CME trajectories. We analyze the influence of the magnetic environment on the early development of a particular CME event. On 2011 January 24 an eruptive filament was ejected in association with a CME that suffered a large deflection from its source region and expected trajectory. We characterize the 3D evolution of the prominence material using the tie-pointing/triangulation reconstruction technique on EUV and white-light images. To estimate the coordinates in 3D space of the apex of the CME we use a forward-modeling technique that reproduces the large-scale structure of the flux rope-like CME, the Graduated Cylindrical Shell model. We found that the deflection amounts to 42° in latitude and 20° in longitude and that most of it occurs at altitudes below 4R⊙. Moreover, we found a non-negligible deflection at higher altitudes. Combining images of different wavelengths with the extrapolated magnetic field obtained from a potential field source surface model we confirm the presence of two magnetic structures near the erupting event. The magnetic field environment suggests that field lines from the southern coronal hole act as a magnetic wall that produces the large latitudinal deflection; while a nearby pseudostreamer and a northward extension of the southern coronal hole may be responsible for the eastward deflection of the CME.

Deflection and Rotation of CMEs from Active Region 11158.

Between 13 and 16 February 2011, a series of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) erupted from multiple polarity inversion lines within active region 11158. For seven of these CMEs we employ the graduated cylindrical shell (GCS) flux rope model to determine the CME trajectory using both Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) extreme ultraviolet (EUV) and coronagraph images. We then use the model called Forecasting a CME's Altered Trajectory (ForeCAT) for nonradial CME dynamics driven by magnetic forces to simulate the deflection and rotation of the seven CMEs. We find good agreement between ForeCAT results and reconstructed CME positions and orientations. The CME deflections range in magnitude between 10° and 30°. All CMEs are deflected to the north, but we find variations in the direction of the longitudinal deflection. The rotations range between 5° and 50° with both clockwise and counterclockwise rotations. Three of the CMEs begin with initial positions within 2° from one another. These three CMEs are all deflected primarily northward, with some minor eastward deflection, and rotate counterclockwise. Their final positions and orientations, however, differ by 20° and 30°, respectively. This variation in deflection and rotation results from differences in the CME expansion and radial propagation close to the Sun, as well as from the CME mass. Ultimately, only one of these seven CMEs yielded discernible in situ signatures near Earth, although the active region faced toward Earth throughout the eruptions. We suggest that the differences in the deflection and rotation of the CMEs can explain whether each CME impacted or missed Earth.

CME PROPAGATION: WHERE DOES AERODYNAMIC DRAG “TAKE OVER”?

We investigate the Sun-Earth dynamics of a set of eight well observed solar coronal mass ejections (CMEs) using data from the STEREO spacecraft. We seek to quantify the extent to which momentum coupling between these CMEs and the ambient solar wind (i.e., the aerodynamic drag) influences their dynamics. To this end, we use results from a 3D flux rope model fit to the CME data. We find that solar wind aerodynamic drag adequately accounts for the dynamics of the fastest CME in our sample. For the relatively slower CMEs, we find that drag-based models initiated below heliocentric distances ranging from 15 to 50 $R_{\odot}$ cannot account for the observed CME trajectories. This is at variance with the general perception that the dynamics of slow CMEs are influenced primarily by solar wind drag from a few $R_{\odot}$ onwards. Several slow CMEs propagate at roughly constant speeds above 15--50 $R_{\odot}$. Drag-based models initiated above these heights therefore require negligible aerodynamic drag to explain their observed trajectories.

The Solar Stormwatch CME catalogue: Results from the first space weather citizen science project

AbstractSolar Stormwatch was the first space weather citizen science project, the aim of which is to identify and track coronal mass ejections (CMEs) observed by the Heliospheric Imagers aboard the STEREO satellites. The project has now been running for approximately 4 years, with input from >16,000 citizen scientists, resulting in a data set of >38,000time‐elongation profiles of CME trajectories, observed over 18 preselected position angles. We present our method for reducing this data set into a CME catalogue. The resulting catalogue consists of 144 CMEs over the period January 2007 to February 2010, of which 110 were observed by STEREO‐A and 77 were observed by STEREO‐B. For each CME, the time‐elongation profiles generated by the citizen scientists are averaged into a consensus profile along each position angle that the event was tracked. We consider this catalogue to be unique, being at present the only citizen science‐generated CME catalogue, tracking CMEs over an elongation range of 4° out to a maximum of approximately 70°. Using single spacecraft fitting techniques, we estimate the speed, direction, solar source region, and latitudinal width of each CME. This shows that at present, the Solar Stormwatch catalogue (which covers only solar minimum years) contains almost exclusively slow CMEs, with a mean speed of approximately 350 km s−1. The full catalogue is available for public access at www.met.reading.ac.uk/~spate/solarstormwatch. This includes, for each event, the unprocessed time‐elongation profiles generated by Solar Stormwatch, the consensus time‐elongation profiles, and a set of summary plots, as well as the estimated CME properties.

Properties and processes that influence CME geo-effectiveness

AbstractThe geo-effectiveness of coronal mass ejections (CME) is determined by a complex chain of processes. This paper highlights this fact by first discussing the importance of CMEs intrinsic properties set at the Sun (e.g., trajectory, eruption process, orientation, etc.). We then review other key processes that may occur during propagation (e.g., shocks, compressions, magnetic flux erosion) and in the specific interaction with Earth's magnetosphere (e.g., magnetic properties, preconditioning mechanisms). These processes sequentially have a significant influence on the final geo-effectiveness of CMEs. Their relative importance is discussed. While the CME's trajectory, magnetic field orientation, velocity and their duration as set at the Sun certainly are key ingredients to geo-effectiveness, other processes and properties, that at first appear secondary, often may be as important.

Propagation Characteristics of CMEs Associated with Magnetic Clouds and Ejecta

We have investigated the characteristics of magnetic cloud (MC) and ejecta (EJ) associated coronal mass ejections (CMEs) based on the assumption that all CMEs have a flux rope structure. For this, we used 54 CMEs and their interplanetary counterparts (interplanetary CMEs: ICMEs) that constitute the list of events used by the NASA/LWS Coordinated Data Analysis Workshop (CDAW) on CME flux ropes. We considered the location, angular width, and speed as well as the direction parameter, D. The direction parameter quantifies the degree of asymmetry of the CME shape in coronagraph images, and shows how closely the CME propagation is directed to Earth. For the 54 CDAW events, we found the following properties of the CMEs: i) the average value of D for the 23 MCs (0.62) is larger than that for the 31 EJs (0.49), which indicates that the MC-associated CMEs propagate more directly toward the Earth than the EJ-associated CMEs; ii) comparison between the direction parameter and the source location shows that the majority of the MC-associated CMEs are ejected along the radial direction, while many of the EJ-associated CMEs are ejected non-radially; iii) the mean speed of MC-associated CMEs (946 km s−1) is faster than that of EJ-associated CMEs (771 km s−1). For seven very fast CMEs (≥ 1500 km s−1), all CMEs with large D (≥ 0.4) are associated with MCs and the CMEs with small D are associated with EJs. From the statistical analysis of CME parameters, we found the superiority of the direction parameter. Based on these results, we suggest that the CME trajectory essentially determines the observed ICME structure.

SYMPATHETIC MAGNETIC BREAKOUT CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS FROM PSEUDOSTREAMERS

We present high resolution 2.5-dimensional MHD simulation results of magnetic breakout-initiated coronal mass ejections (CMEs) originating from a coronal pseudostreamer configuration. The coronal null point in the magnetic topology of pseudostreamers means the initiation of consecutive sympathetic eruptions is a natural consequence of the system's evolution. A generic source region energization process -- ideal footpoint shearing parallel to the pseudostreamer arcade polarity inversion lines -- is all that is necessary to store sufficient magnetic energy to power consecutive CME eruptions given that the pseudostreamer topology enables the breakout initiation mechanism. The second CME occurs because the eruptive flare reconnection of the first CME simultaneously acts as the overlying pre-eruption breakout reconnection for the sympathetic eruption. We examine the details of the magnetic and kinetic energy evolution and the signatures of the overlying null point distortion, current sheet formation, and magnetic breakout reconnection giving rise to the runaway expansion that drives the flare reconnection below the erupting sheared field core. The numerical simulation's spatial resolution and output cadence are sufficient to resolve the formation of magnetic islands during the reconnection process in both the breakout and eruptive flare current sheets. We quantify the flux transfer between the pseudostreamer arcades and show the eruptive flare reconnection processes flux ~10 times faster than the pre-eruption breakout reconnection. We show that the breakout reconnection jets cause bursty, intermittent upflows along the pseudostreamer stalk as well as downflows in the adjacent pseudostreamer arcade, both of which may be observable as pre-eruption signatures. Finally, we examine the flux rope CME trajectories and show that the breakout current sheet provides a path of least resistance as an...

TEMPORAL AND PHYSICAL CONNECTION BETWEEN CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS AND FLARES

The physical connection between the eruption of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and associated flare energy release is examined. The trajectories of five CMEs are determined using LASCO/SOHO or SECCHI/STEREO data, and the associated soft X-ray (SXR) light curves are obtained from GOES 1-8 A data. As the theoretical description of CME physics, the existing erupting flux-rope model is used in which an initial flux rope is driven out of equilibrium by the increasing poloidal magnetic flux {Phi}{sub p}(t) (poloidal 'flux injection'). Mathematically, this is represented by d{Phi}{sub p}(t)/dt. For each CME, this function is adjusted to obtain the solution that best fits the observed height-time data. The resulting d{Phi}{sub p}(t)/dt is shown to be strongly constrained by the CME height data. This function and the attendant electromotive force (EMF) given by E(t){identical_to}-(1/c)d{Phi}{sub p}(t)/dt constitute predictions of the theory for each CME trajectory. It is shown that the best-fit solutions fit the CME trajectories within 1%-2% of the CME height data and that the temporal profile of the predicted d{Phi} {sub p}(t)/dt is correlated with that of the associated X-ray light curve regardless of the flare duration. Specifically, we find that the observed duration of SXR emission {Delta}T{sub SXR} is comparablemore » to and scales with the predicted duration {Delta}T{sub p} of poloidal flux injection, i.e., {Delta}T{sub SXR} {approx_equal} {Delta}T{sub p} . Neither the predicted d{Phi} {sub p}(t)/dt nor the input CME height data contain any information on X-ray data. Thus, the correlation is nontrivial, constituting evidence that poloidal flux injection is physically connected to flare energy release. It is suggested that this connection is provided by the EMF that produces electric fields to accelerate particles.« less

THE PHOTOSPHERIC ENERGY AND HELICITY BUDGETS OF THE FLUX-INJECTION HYPOTHESIS

The flux-injection hypothesis for driving coronal mass ejections (CMEs) requires the transport of substantial magnetic energy and helicity flux through the photosphere concomitant with the eruption. Under the magnetohydrodynamics approximation, these fluxes are produced by twisting magnetic field and/or flux emergence in the photosphere. A CME trajectory, observed 2000 September 12 and fitted with a flux-rope model constrains energy and helicity budgets for testing the flux-injection hypothesis. Optimal velocity profiles for several driving scenarios are estimated by minimizing the photospheric plasma velocities for a cylindrically symmetric flux-rope magnetic field subject to the flux budgets required by the flux-rope model. Ideal flux injection, involving only flux emergence, requires hypersonic upflows in excess of the solar escape velocity 617 km/s over an area of 6x10^8 km^2 to satisfy the energy and helicity budgets of the flux-rope model. These estimates are compared with magnetic field and Doppler measurements from Solar Heliospheric Observatory/Michelson Doppler Imager on 2000 September 12 at the footpoints of the CME. The observed Doppler signatures are insufficient to account for the required energy and helicity budgets of the flux-injection hypothesis.

Assessing the Accuracy of CME Speed and Trajectory Estimates from STEREO Observations Through a Comparison of Independent Methods

We have estimated the speed and direction of propagation of a number of Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) using single-spacecraft data from the STEREO Heliospheric Imager (HI) wide-field cameras. In general, these values are in good agreement with those predicted by Thernisien, Vourlidas, and Howard in Solar Phys. 256, 111 – 130 (2009) using a forward modelling method to fit CMEs imaged by the STEREO COR2 coronagraphs. The directions of the CMEs predicted by both techniques are in good agreement despite the fact that many of the CMEs under study travel in directions that cause them to fade rapidly in the HI images. The velocities estimated from both techniques are in general agreement although there are some interesting differences that may provide evidence for the influence of the ambient solar wind on the speed of CMEs. The majority of CMEs with a velocity estimated to be below 400 km s−1 in the COR2 field of view have higher estimated velocities in the HI field of view, while, conversely, those with COR2 velocities estimated to be above 400 km s−1 have lower estimated HI velocities. We interpret this as evidence for the deceleration of fast CMEs and the acceleration of slower CMEs by interaction with the ambient solar wind beyond the COR2 field of view. We also show that the uncertainties in our derived parameters are influenced by the range of elongations over which each CME can be tracked. In order to reduce the uncertainty in the predicted arrival time of a CME at 1 Astronomical Unit (AU) to within six hours, the CME needs to be tracked out to at least 30 degrees elongation. This is in good agreement with predictions of the accuracy of our technique based on Monte Carlo simulations.

Correlation between the parameters of coronal mass ejections and features of their propagation in the corona with the large-scale structure of the solar magnetic field

Correlation between the parameters of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that are detected on the LASCO coronographs and are associated with eruptive prominences and the distances of CME axes from the coronal streamer belt has been analyzed. The deviations of CME trajectories from the radial direction have been investigated.

The Impact of Geometry on Observations of CME Brightness and Propagation

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have a significant impact on space weather and geomagnetic storms and so have been the subject of numerous studies. Most CME observations have been made while these events are near the Sun (e.g., SOHO/LASCO). Recent data from the Coriolis/SMEI and STEREO/SECCHI-HI instruments have imaged CMEs farther into the heliosphere. Analyses of CME observations near the Sun measure the properties of these events by assuming that the emission is in the plane of the sky and hence the speed and mass are lower limits to the true values. However, this assumption cannot be used to analyze optical observations of CMEs far from the Sun, such as observations from SMEI and SECCHI-HI, since the CME source is likely to be far from the limb. In this paper we consider the geometry of observations made by LASCO, SMEI, and SECCHI. We also present results that estimate both CME speed and trajectory by fitting the CME elongations observed by these instruments. Using a constant CME speed does not generally produce profiles that fit observations at both large and small elongation, simultaneously. We include the results of a simple empirical model that alters the CME speed to an estimated value of the solar wind speed to simulate the effect of drag on the propagating CME. This change in speed improves the fit between the model and observations over a broad range of elongations.

Reconstructing the 3-D Trajectories of CMEs in the Inner Heliosphere

A method for the full three-dimensional (3-D) reconstruction of the trajectories of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) using Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) data is presented. Four CMEs that were simultaneously observed by the inner and outer coronagraphs (COR1 and 2) of the Ahead and Behind STEREO satellites were analysed. These observations were used to derive CME trajectories in 3-D out to ∼ 15 R ⊙. The reconstructions using COR1/2 data support a radial propagation model. Assuming pseudo-radial propagation at large distances from the Sun (15 – 240 R ⊙), the CME positions were extrapolated into the Heliospheric Imager (HI) field-of-view. We estimated the CME velocities in the different fields-of-view. It was found that CMEs slower than the solar wind were accelerated, while CMEs faster than the solar wind were decelerated, with both tending to the solar wind velocity.

CME interactions with coronal holes and their interplanetary consequences

A significant number of interplanetary shocks (∼17%) during cycle 23 were not followed by drivers. The number of such “driverless” shocks steadily increased with the solar cycle with 15%, 33%, and 52% occurring in the rise, maximum, and declining phase of the solar cycle. The solar sources of 15% of the driverless shocks were very close the central meridian of the Sun (within ∼15°), which is quite unexpected. More interestingly, all the driverless shocks with their solar sources near the solar disk center occurred during the declining phase of solar cycle 23. When we investigated the coronal environment of the source regions of driverless shocks, we found that in each case there was at least one coronal hole nearby, suggesting that the coronal holes might have deflected the associated coronal mass ejections (CMEs) away from the Sun‐Earth line. The presence of abundant low‐latitude coronal holes during the declining phase further explains why CMEs originating close to the disk center mimic the limb CMEs, which normally lead to driverless shocks due to purely geometrical reasons. We also examined the solar source regions of shocks with drivers. For these, the coronal holes were located such that they either had no influence on the CME trajectories, or they deflected the CMEs toward the Sun‐Earth line. We also obtained the open magnetic field distribution on the Sun by performing a potential field source surface extrapolation to the corona. It was found that the CMEs generally move away from the open magnetic field regions. The CME–coronal hole interaction must be widespread in the declining phase and may have a significant impact on the geoeffectiveness of CMEs.

Kinematic properties of solar coronal mass ejections: Correction for projection effects in spacecraft coronagraph measurements

One of the main sources of uncertainty in quantifying the kinematic properties of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) using coronagraphs is the fact that coronagraph images are projected into the sky plane, resulting in measurements which can differ significantly from their actual values. By identifying solar surface source regions of CMEs using X‐ray and Hα flare and disappearing filament data, and through considerations of CME trajectories in three‐dimensional (3‐D) geometry, we have devised a methodology to correct for the projection effect. We outline this method here. The methodology was automated and applied to over 10,000 CMEs in the Coordinated Data Analysis Workshop (CDAW) (SOHO Large Angle Spectroscopic Coronagraph) catalog spanning 1996–2005, in which we could associate 1961 CMEs with an appropriate surface event. In the latter subset, deprojected speeds, accelerations, and launch angles were determined to study CME kinematics. Our analysis of this subset of events reconfirms some important trends, notably that previously uncovered solar cycle variation of CME properties are preserved, CMEs with greater width have higher speeds, and slower CMEs tend to accelerate while faster CMEs tend to decelerate. This points out that statistical trends in CME properties, recovered from plane‐of‐sky measurements, may be preserved even in the face of more sophisticated 3‐D measurements from spacecrafts such as STEREO, if CME trajectories are predominantly radial. However, our results also show that the magnitude of corrected measurements can differ significantly from the projected plane‐of‐sky measurements on a case‐by‐case basis and that acceleration is more sensitive to the deprojection process than speed. Average corrected speed and acceleration tend to be a factor of 1.7 and 4.4 higher than their projected values, with mean corrected speed and acceleration magnitudes being on the order of 1000 km/s and 50 m/s2, respectively. We conclude that while using the plane‐of‐sky measurements may be suitable for studies of general trends in a large sample of events, correcting for projection effects is mandatory for those investigations which rely on a numerically precise determination of the properties of individual CMEs.