Coronal Mass Ejections Research Articles

Geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) during strong geomagnetic activity (storms, substorms, and magnetic pulsations) on 23–24 April 2023

We analyzed intense geomagnetically induced currents (GICs) recorded during a complex space weather event observed on 23–24 April 2023. Two geomagnetic storms characterized by SYM/H intensities of −179 nT and −233 nT were caused by southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) Bz component of −25 nT in the sheath fields, and −33 nT in the magnetic cloud (MC) fields, respectively. GIC observations were divided into two local time sectors: nighttime (1700–2400 UT on 23 April) GICs observed during the interplanetary sheath magnetic storm, and morning sector (0200–0700 UT on 24 April) GICs observed during the MC magnetic storm. By using the direct measurements of GICs on several substations of Karelian-Kola power line (located in the north-west portion of Russia) and gas pipeline station near Mäntsälä (south of Finland), we managed to trace the meridional profile of GIC increases at different latitudes. It was shown that the night sector GIC intensifications (∼18–42 A) occurred in accordance with poleward expansion of the westward electrojet during a substorm. On the other hand, the intense morning sector GICs (∼12–46 A) were caused by Ps 6 magnetic pulsations. In addition, a strong local morning GIC (∼44 A) was associated with a local substorm-like disturbance caused by a high-density solar wind structure, possibly a coronal loop portion of an interplanetary coronal mass ejection.

Spitzer Resurrector Mission: Advantages for Space Weather Research and Operations

In 1979, NASA established the Great Observatory program, which included four telescopes (Hubble, Compton, Chandra, and Spitzer) to explore the Universe. The Spitzer Space Telescope was launched in 2003 into solar orbit, gradually drifting away from the Earth. Spitzer was operated very successfully until 2020 when NASA terminated observations and placed the telescope in safe mode. In 2028, the U.S. Space Force has the opportunity to demonstrate satellite servicing by telerobotically reactivating Spitzer for astronomical observations, and in a separate experiment, carry out novel Space Weather research and operations capabilities by observing solar Coronal Mass Ejections. This will be accomplished by launching a small satellite, the Spitzer-Resurrector Mission (SRM), to rendezvous with Spitzer in 2030, positioning itself around it, and serving as a relay for recommissioning and science operations. A sample of science goals for Spitzer is briefly described, but the focus of this paper is on the unique opportunity offered by SRM to demonstrate novel Space Weather research and operations capabilities.

Field‐Aligned Current Structures During the Terrestrial Magnetosphere's Transformation Into Alfvén Wings and Recovery

AbstractOn 24 April 2023, a Coronal Mass Ejection event caused the solar wind to become sub‐Alfvénic, leading to the development of an Alfvén Wing configuration in the Earth's magnetosphere. Alfvén Wings have previously been observed as cavities of low flow around moons in Jupiter's and Saturn's magnetospheres, but the observing spacecraft did not have the ability to directly measure the Alfvén Wings' current structures. Through in situ measurements made by the Magnetospheric Multiscale spacecraft, the 24 April event provides us with the first direct measurements of current structures during an Alfvén Wing configuration. These structures are observed to be significantly more anti‐field‐aligned and electron‐driven than the typical diamagnetic magnetopause current, indicating the disruption caused to the magnetosphere current system by the Alfvén Wing formation. The magnetopause current is then observed to recover more of its typical, perpendicular structure during the magnetosphere's recovery from the Alfvén Wing formation.

Simultaneous X-ray and optical variability of M dwarfs observed with eROSITA and TESS

M-dwarf stars are the most numerous stars in the Galaxy, and are highly magnetically active. They exhibit bursts of radiation and matter, called flares and coronal mass ejections which have the potential to strongly affect the habitability of their planets. We investigate variability through simultaneous optical and X-ray observations, forming the largest statistical sample of M dwarfs observed in this way so far. Such simultaneous observations at different wavelengths, which correspond to emissions from different layers of the stellar atmosphere, are required to constrain the flare frequency and energetics and to understand the physics of flares. We used light curves from the extended ROentgen Survey with an Imaging Telescope Array (eROSITA) on board the Russian Spektrum-Roentgen-Gamma mission (SRG) and the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) for a sample of M dwarfs observed simultaneously with both instruments. Specifically, we identified 256 M dwarfs in the TESS Southern Continuous Viewing Zone (SCVZ), which corresponds to a sky area of 452.39 ($ deg^2 $), with simultaneous TESS and eROSITA detection. For this work, we selected the $25$ X-ray brightest or most X-ray variable stars. We used photometric data from Gaia and 2MASS to obtain stellar parameters such as distances, colours, masses, radii, and bolometric luminosities. X-ray fluxes and luminosities were determined from observed eROSITA count rates using appropriate rate-to-flux conversion factors. We defined and examined various variability diagnostics in both wavebands and how these parameters are related to each other. Our stars are nearby (mostly within $ 100$\,pc ), rotating fast rot < 9$\,d), and display a high optical flare frequency, as expected from the selection of particularly X-ray-active objects. The optical duty cycle -- defined as the fraction of observing time in which the stars were in a high activity state -- is well correlated with the optical flare rate and was therefore used as proxy for optical variability. The X-ray and optical duty cycles are positively correlated, and there is a trend of faster rotators tending to have higher X-ray and optical variability. For stars with many X-ray flaring events, the chances of these events being found together with optical flares are high. A quantitative variability study of individual flares in the X-ray light curves is severely affected by data gaps due to the low (4\,h) cadence during the eROSITA all-sky survey. To mitigate this, we made use of the optical flares observed with TESS combined with knowledge accumulated from solar flares to put additional constraints on the peak flux and timing of X-ray events. With this method we could perform an exponential fit to X-ray light curves in the aftermath of an optical flare, and we find that the energies for these X-ray flares are well correlated with the corresponding optical flare energy. We also found two peculiar flaring events with uncharacteristically long duration and high energies observed in both their X-ray and optical light curves. Despite the substantial uncertainties associated with our analysis, which are mostly related to the poor sampling of the eROSITA light curves, our results showcase in an exemplary way the relevance of simultaneous all-sky surveys in different wavebands for obtaining unprecedented quantitative information on stellar variability.

Parker Solar Probe Observations of Energetic Particles in the Flank of a Coronal Mass Ejection Close to the Sun

We present an event observed by Parker Solar Probe (PSP) at ∼0.2 au on 2022 March 2 in which imaging and in situ measurements coincide. During this event, PSP passed through structures on the flank of a streamer blowout coronal mass ejection (CME) including an isolated flux tube in front of the CME, a turbulent sheath, and the CME itself. Imaging observations and in situ helicity and principal variance signatures consistently show the presence of flux ropes internal to the CME. In both the sheath and the CME interval, the distributions are more isotropic, the spectra are softer, and the abundance ratios of Fe/O and He/H are lower than those in the isolated flux tube, and yet elevated relative to typical plasma and solar energetic particle abundances. These signatures in the sheath and the CME indicate that both flare populations and those from the plasma are accelerated to form the observed energetic particle enhancements. In contrast, the isolated flux tube shows large streaming, hard spectra, and large Fe/O and He/H ratios, indicating flare sources. Energetic particle fluxes are most enhanced within the CME interval from suprathermal through energetic particle energies (∼keV to >10 MeV), indicating particle acceleration, as well as confinement local to the closed magnetic structure. The flux-rope morphology of the CME helps to enable local modulation and trapping of energetic particles, in particular along helicity channels and other plasma boundaries. Thus, the CME acts to build up energetic particle populations, allowing them to be fed into subsequent higher-energy particle acceleration throughout the inner heliosphere where a compression or shock forms on the CME front.

Challenges in Forecasting the Evolution of a Distorted CME Observed During the First Close Solar Orbiter Perihelion

Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs), drivers of the most severe Space Weather disturbances, are often assumed to evolve self-similarly during their propagation. However, open magnetic field structures in the corona, leading to higher-speed streams in the ambient solar wind, can be source of strong distortions of the CME front. In this paper, we investigate a distorted and Earth-directed CME observed on 2022 March 25 combining three remote sensing with three in situ observatories at different heliocentric distances (from 0.5 to 1 au). Near quadrature observations by Solar Orbiter and the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory revealed a distortion of the CME front in both latitude and longitude, with Solar Orbiter observations showing an Earth-directed latitudinal distortion as low as ≈6 R ⊙. Near-Earth extreme-ultraviolet observations indicated the distortion was caused by interaction with faster wind from a nearby equatorial coronal hole. To evaluate the effect of the distortion on the CME's propagation, we adopted a three-point-of-view graduated cylindrical shell (GCS) fitting approach. For the first time, the GCS results are combined with an additional heliospheric single-viewpoint that looks further out in the heliosphere, revealing a deceleration in the CME before reaching ≈100 R ⊙. The CME geometry and velocity determined by this enhanced GCS are used to initialize a drag-based model and a WSA-Enlil MHD model. The estimated times of arrival are compared with in situ data at different heliocentric distances and, despite the complexity of the event, the error in the arrival times at each spacecraft results much lower (≈4 hr error) than the typical errors in literature (≈8–10 hr).

Probing Velocity Dispersion Inside Coronal Mass Ejections: New Insights on Their Initiation

This work studies the kinematics of the leading edge and the core of six coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the combined field of view of Sun Watcher using Active Pixel System detector and Image Processing (SWAP) on board PRoject for On-Board Autonomy (PROBA-2) and the ground-based K-Cor coronagraph of the Mauna Loa Solar Observatory. We report, for the first time, on the existence of a critical height hc , which marks the onset of velocity dispersion inside the CME. This height for the studied events lies between 1.4 and 1.8 R ⊙, in the inner corona. We find the critical heights to be relatively higher for gradual CMEs, as compared to impulsive ones, indicating that the early initiation of these two classes might be different physically. We find several interesting imprints of the velocity dispersion on CME kinematics. The critical height is strongly correlated with the flux-rope minor radius and the mass of the CME. Also, the magnitude of the velocity dispersion shows a reasonable positive correlation with the above two parameters. We believe these results will advance our understanding of CME initiation mechanisms and will help provide improved constraints on CME initiation models.

Solar Eruptive Phenomena Associated with Solar Energetic Electron Spectral Types

The energy spectral shape of solar energetic electron events carries important information on the energetic electron source/acceleration at the Sun. We investigate the association of six newly identified solar energetic electron spectral types with solar eruptive phenomena, including the downward double-power-law (DDPL) spectrum with break energy E B above 20 keV (DDPL EB≥20keV ), DDPL with E B below 20 keV (DDPL EB<20keV ), upward double-power law (UDPL), single-power-law (SPL), Ellision–Ramaty–like (ER), and logarithmic-parabola (LP). We find that the SPL type shows (the other five types show) an association with hard X-ray flares of ∼38% (∼55%–82%) and an association with west-limb coronal mass ejections (CMEs) of ∼76% (∼85%–93%). Among the other five types, the DDPL EB<20keV and ER (LP and DDPL EB≥20keV ) types only have an association with type II radio bursts of ∼7%–8% (∼16%–20%) and an association with halo CMEs of ∼5%–9% (∼11%–21%); however, the UDPL type exhibits a significant (∼47% and ∼50%) association with type II bursts and halo CMEs, with a significantly faster median CME speed of 1000−120+550 km s−1. For DDPL EB≥20keV (DDPL EB<20keV ) with a positive (no) correlation between spectral indexes and no (a positive) correlation between the spectral index and break energy, the spectrum appears to be flatter as the associated CME (flare) becomes faster (stronger). These results suggest that the SPL type can result from the initial acceleration process that likely occurs high in the corona, and then provide seed populations for further acceleration processes to form the other five types: the DDPL EB<20keV and ER types via flare-related processes, the LP and DDPL EB≥20keV types via CME-related processes, and the UDPL type via CME-driven shocks.

Sun-as-a-star Observations of Obscuration Dimmings Caused by Filament Eruptions

Filament eruptions often lead to coronal mass ejections (CMEs) on the Sun and are one of the most energetic eruptive phenomena in the atmospheres of other late-type stars. However, the detection of filament eruptions and CMEs on stars beyond the solar system is challenging. Here, we present six filament eruption cases on the Sun and show that filament material obscuring part of the solar disk can cause detectable dimming signatures in Sun-as-a-star flux curves of He ii 304 Å. Those filament eruptions have similar morphological features, originating from small filaments inside active regions and subsequently strongly expanding to obscure large areas of the solar disk or the bright flare regions. We have tracked the detailed evolution of six obscuration dimmings and estimated the dimming properties, such as dimming depths, dimming areas, and duration. The largest dimming depth among the six events under study is 6.2% accompanied by the largest dimming area of 5.6% of the solar disk area. Other events have maximum dimming depths in a range of around 1%–3%, with maximum areas varying between about 3%–4% of the solar disk area. The duration of the dimming spans from around 0.4–7.0 hr for the six events under study. A positive correlation was found between the dimming depth and area, which may help to set constraints on the filament sizes in stellar observations.

Type II radio bursts and space weather phenomena: A statistical study

In this paper, we present for the first time a comprehensive statistical study between type II radio bursts from the metric (m) to the dekameric–hectometric (DH) domain and their associated solar and space weather (SW) phenomena, namely, solar flares (SFs), sunspot (SN) configurations, filament eruptions, coronal mass ejections (CMEs), their interplanetary (IP) counterparts (ICMEs) and shocks, in situ detected particles and geomagnetic storms (GSs). The m-only and m + DH radio signatures are identified from dynamic spectra provided by the ground-based RSTN stations distributed over the globe together with Wind/WAVES satellite data. The DH-only type IIs are adopted from a ready catalog based on Wind/WAVES spacecraft data. We perform the temporal and spatial association between the radio emission and the listed above activity events during solar cycle (SC) 24, separately for the three sub-categories, m-only, m + DH and DH-only type IIs. A quantitative assessment on the occurrence rates is presented as a function of the strength of the specific SW phenomena: highest rates are obtained with CMEs, SFs, filament eruptions, and SN configurations, whereas a much weaker relationship is found with ICMEs, IP shocks, energetic particles, and GSs. The potential of the obtained rates to be used in empirical or physics-based models for SW forecasting is discussed.

New Anisotropic Cosmic-Ray Enhancement (ACRE) Event on 5 November 2023 Due to Complex Heliospheric Conditions

The variability of galactic cosmic rays near Earth is nearly isotropic and driven by large-scale heliospheric modulation but rarely can very local anisotropic events be observed in low-energy cosmic rays. These anisotropic cosmic-ray enhancement (ACRE) events are related to interplanetary transients. Until now, two such events have been known. Here, we report the discovery of the third ACRE event observed as an increase of up to 6.4% in count rates of high- and midlatitude neutron monitors between ca. 09 – 14 UT on 5 November 2023 followed by a moderate Forbush decrease and a strong geomagnetic storm. This is the first known observation of ACRE in the midrigidity range of up to 8 GV. The anisotropy axis of ACRE was in the nearly anti-Sun direction. Modeling of the geomagnetic conditions implies that the observed increase was not caused by a storm-induced weakening of the geomagnetic shielding. As suggested by a detailed analysis and qualitative modeling using the EUHFORIA model, the ACRE event was likely produced by the scattering of cosmic rays on an intense interplanetary flux rope propagating north of the Earth and causing a glancing encounter. The forthcoming Forbush decrease was caused by an interplanetary coronal mass ejection that hit Earth centrally. A comprehensive analysis of the ACRE and complex heliospheric conditions is presented. However, a full quantitative modeling of such a complex event is not possible even with the most advanced models and calls for further developments.

Mid-term Periodicity of Coronal Mass Ejections during the Time Interval 1996–2022

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) exhibit a wide range of quasiperiodic variations and are crucial for our understanding of the cyclical evolution of large-scale magnetic fields. However, the mid-term periodicities of different types of CMEs associated with different processes at the source location need to be clearly understood. Based on the CDAW catalog released by the Large Angle and Spectroscopic Coronagraph mission on the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, we investigated the period of CMEs based on the speeds and accelerations using the continuous wavelet transformation method. Our results revealed that the distribution of CMEs over time is quite distinctly different for different speeds, and there are Rieger-type periods and quasi-biennial oscillations of the CMEs. The two types of periodic signals show significant differences in solar cycles 23 and 24. Furthermore, the periodicity patterns for the northern hemisphere differ from those in the southern hemisphere. The potential mechanisms and explanations of the results are also discussed.

On propagation of gradual and impulsive Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

On propagation of gradual and impulsive Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs)

Filament eruption by multiple reconnections

Context. Filament eruption is a common phenomenon in solar activity, but the triggering mechanism is not well understood. Aims. We focus our study on a filament eruption located in a complex nest of three active regions close to a coronal hole. Methods. The filament eruption is observed at multiple wavelengths: by the Global Oscillation Network Group (GONG), the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO), the Solar Upper Transition Region Imager (SUTRI), and the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) and Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI) on board the Solar Dynamic Observatory (SDO). Thanks to high-temporal-resolution observations, we were able to analyze the evolution of the fine structure of the filament in detail. The filament changes direction during the eruption, which is followed by a halo coronal mass ejection detected by the Large Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO). A Type III radio burst was also registered at the time of the eruption. To investigate the process of the eruption, we analyzed the magnetic topology of the filament region adopting a nonlinear force-free-field (NLFFF) extrapolation method and the polytropic global magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modeling. We modeled the filament by embedding a twisted flux rope with the regularized Biot-Savart Laws (RBSL) method in the ambient magnetic field. Results. The extrapolation results show that magnetic reconnection occurs in a fan-spine configuration resulting in a circular flare ribbon. The global modeling of the corona demonstrates that there was an interaction between the filament and open field lines, causing a deflection of the filament in the direction of the observed CME eruption and dimming area. Conclusions. The modeling supports the following scenario: magnetic reconnection not only occurs with the filament itself (the flux rope) but also with the background magnetic field lines and open field lines of the coronal hole located to the east of the flux rope. This multiwavelength analysis indicates that the filament undergoes multiple magnetic reconnections on small and large scales with a drifting of the flux rope.

Analysis of the Causes of the Magnetic Storm on December 1–2, 2023 Based on Observations of Interplanetary Scintillations at the BSA Radio Telescope of the Lebedev Physical Institute

The results of the analysis of observational data of interplanetary scintillations obtained at the Big Synphasic Antenna radio telescope of the Lebedev Physical Institute (BSA LPI) before, during and after the magnetic storm that occurred on December 1–2, 2023. Observational data were compared with model calculations for corotating and propagating large-scale disturbances. The results of observations of scintillations of radio sources indicate that the magnetic storm that took place was caused by the superposition of two types of large-scale disturbances of the solar wind. On the day before the start of the magnetic storm, signs of interaction of the Earth’s magnetosphere with the corotating region of multi-velocity solar wind flows were observed, whereas later signs of disturbance of the magnetosphere by a coronal mass ejection propagating after the M9.8 flare on November 28, 2023 were observed.

Further Study of the Relationship between Transient Effects in Energetic Proton and Cosmic Ray Fluxes Induced by Coronal Mass Ejections

The study and better understanding of energetic transient phenomena caused by disturbances occurring on our Sun are of great importance, primarily due to the potential negative effects those events can have on Earth’s environment. Here, we present the continuation of our previous work on understanding the connection between disturbances in the flux of energetic particles induced in the near-Earth environment by the passage of interplanetary coronal mass ejections and related Forbush decrease events. The relationship between the shape of fluence spectra of energetic protons measured by the instruments on the SOHO/ERNE probe at Lagrange point L1, Forbush decrease parameters measured by the worldwide network of neutron monitors, and coronal mass ejection parameters measured in situ is investigated. Various parameters used to characterize transient phenomena and their impact on the heliosphere, provided by the WIND spacecraft, were utilized to improve the accuracy of the calculation of the associated energetic proton fluence. The single and double power laws with exponential rollover were used to model the fluence spectra, and their effectiveness was compared. Correlation analysis between exponents used to characterize the shape of fluence spectra and Forbush decrease parameters is presented, and the results obtained by the two models are discussed.

Source Region and Launch Characteristics of Magnetic-arch-blowout Solar Coronal Mass Ejections Driven by Homologous Compact-flare Blowout Jets

We study the formation of four coronal mass ejections (CMEs) originating from homologous blowout jets. All of the blowout jets originated from NOAA Active Region (AR) 11515 on 2012 July 2, within a time interval of ≈14 hr. All of the CMEs were wide (angular widths ≈ 95°–150°), and propagated with speeds ranging between ≈300 and 500 km s−1 in LASCO coronagraph images. Observations at various EUV wavelengths in Solar Dynamics Observatory/Atmospheric Imaging Assembly images reveal that in all the cases, the source region of the jets lies at the boundary of the leading part of AR 11515 that hosts a small filament before each event. Coronal magnetic field modeling based on nonlinear force-free extrapolations indicates that in each case, the filament is contained inside of a magnetic flux rope that remains constrained by overlying compact loops. The southern footpoint of each filament is rooted in the negative polarity region where the eruption onsets occur. This negative polarity region undergoes continuous flux changes, including emergence and cancellation with opposite polarity in the vicinity of the flux rope, and the EUV images reveal brightening episodes near the filament’s southeastern footpoint before each eruption. Therefore, these flux changes are likely the cause of the subsequent eruptions. These four homologous eruptions originate near adjacent feet of two large-scale loop systems connecting from that positive polarity part of the AR to two remote negative polarity regions, and result in large-scale consequences in the solar corona.

The effects of the May 2024 Mother’s Day superstorm over the Mediterranean sector: from data to public communication

On 8 May 2024, the solar active region AR13664 started releasing a series of intense solar flares. Those of class X released between 9 and 11 May 2024 gave rise to a chain of fast Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) that proved to be geoeffective. The Storm Sudden Commencement (SSC) of the resulting geomagnetic storm was registered on 10 May 2024 and it is, to date, the strongest event since November 2003. The May 2024 storm, named hereafter Mother’s Day storm, peaked with a Dst of –412 nT and stands out as a “standard candle” storm affecting modern era technologies prone to Space Weather threats. Moreover, the recovery phase exhibited almost no substorm signatures, making the Mother’s Day storm as a perfect storm example. Despite the plethora of notable near Earth environment modifications that are still under investigation, in this paper we concentrate on the Space Weather effects over the Mediterranean sector, with a focus on Italy. In fact, the Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) manages a dense network of GNSS receivers (including scintillation receivers), ionosondes and magnetometers in the Mediterranean area, which facilitated for a detailed characterization of the modifications induced by the storm. Concerning the geomagnetic field, observatories located in Italy recorded a SSC with a rise time of only 3 minutes and a maximum variation of around 600 nT. The most notable ionospheric effect following the arrival of the disturbance was a significant decrease in plasma density on 11 May, resulting in a pronounced negative ionospheric storm registered on both the critical F2-layer frequency (foF2) and the Total Electron Content (TEC). Another negative effect was recorded on 13 May, while no signatures of composition changes and, specifically, to a decrease of the [O]/[N ] ratio. The IRI UP IONORING 2 data-assimilation procedure, recently developed to nowcast foF2 over Italy, proved to be quite reliable during this extreme event, being characterised just by an overestimation during the main phase of the storm, when the electron density and the height of the F region decreased and increased, respectively. Relevant outcomes of the work relate to the Rate Of TEC change Index (ROTI), which shows unusually high spatially distributed values on the nights of 10 and 11 May. The ROTI enhancements on 10 May might be linked to Stable Auroral Red (SAR) arcs and an equatorward displacement of the main ionospheric trough. Instead, the ROTI enhancements on 11 May might be triggered by a joint action of low-latitude plasma pushed poleward by the pre-reversal enhancement (PRE) in the post-sunset hours and wave-like perturbations propagating from the North. Furthermore, the storm generated immediate attention of the general public to Space Weather effects, including mid-latitude visible phenomena like SAR arcs. This paper outlines the report of the Space Weather Monitoring Group (SWMG) of the INGV Environment Department and its effort to disseminate information about this exceptional event.

High-velocity Blue-shifted Fe xxv Heα Line during a Superflare of the RS Canum Venaticorum–type Star IM Peg

The Monitor of All-sky X-ray Image (MAXI) detected a superflare, releasing 5 × 1037 erg in 2−10 keV, of the RS CVn-type star IM Peg at 10:41 UT on 2023 July 23 with its Gas Slit Camera (2−30 keV). We conducted X-ray follow-up observations of the superflare with the Neutron Star Interior Composition Explorer (NICER; 0.2−12 keV) starting at 16:52 UT on July 23 until 06:00 UT on August 2. NICER X-ray spectra clearly showed emission lines of the Fe xxv Heα and Fe xxvi Lyα for ∼1.5 days since the MAXI detection. The Fe XXV Heα line was blueshifted with its maximum Doppler velocity reaching −2200 ± 600 km s−1, suggesting an upward-moving plasma during the flare, such as a coronal mass ejection (CME) and/or chromospheric evaporation. This is the first case that the Fe xxv Heα line is blueshifted during a stellar flare, and its velocity overwhelmingly exceeds the escape velocity of the star (−230 km s−1). One hour before the most pronounced blueshift detection, a signature of the reheating of the flare plasma was observed. We discuss the origin of the blueshift, a CME, or high-velocity chromospheric evaporation.

Развитие турбулентности за околоземной ударной волной в периоды спокойного и возмущенного солнечного ветра

Magnetosheath is a transition layer between the solar wind and the magnetosphere and may contribute to the geoeffectiveness of various large-scale interplanetary phenomena. In this paper, we examine the dynamics of the turbulent fluctuation spectra behind the bow shock during undisturbed solar wind and when interplanetary coronal mass ejections and corotation interaction regions interact with the magnetosphere. The study is based on statistical analysis of the turbulence features inside the magnetosheath at different distances from the bow shock. We demonstrate that the turbulence features change when plasma crosses the bow shock for the solar wind of all types and they usually recover when plasma moves away from the bow shock. However, peculiarities in the turbulence development occur during interplanetary coronal mass ejections. Moreover, during disturbed solar wind there are relations between the turbulence features at the sub-ion scales and background plasma parameters such as plasma parameter β, the angle θBN between the interplanetary magnetic field and the local bow shock normal, solar wind bulk velocity, and the distance to the magnetosheath boundaries.