Halo CME Mail

Date: Mon, 7 Jun 2004 13:13

From: Guillermo Stenborg

Subject: 'Full' halo CME on 2004/06/07, probably frontsided



UCMEO 93001 40607 1730/
40607 60127 81042 0001/ 360// 713// 20596
40606 62226 82314 30007 10624 1222/
99999

PLAIN

BT


LASCO observed a faint asymmetric 'full' halo CME on 2004/06/07. 
Several events occurred. The likely signature corresponding to 
the 'halo' event was first observed (though still barely 
discerned) in C2 at 01:27 UT as a very diffuse front above the 
W limb. By 01:50 UT, it is clearly identified as a very diffuse 
loop front (1). By this time, a bright loop front (2) starts 
developing above the SW limb. Feature (2) develops in C2 
exhibiting an apparently twisted inner structure. By 03:50 UT, 
extremely faint extensions seem to surround completely the C2 
occultor. The diffuse front (1) is first seen in C3 above the 
WSW limb at 01:42 UT, while the loop front (2) is first seen in 
the next frame, i.e., at 02:18 UT. The front (2) seems to be 
confined almost completely within PA 155-295. Meanwhile,
faint extensions, likely belonging to feature (1), completely 
surround the C3 occultor by 07:42 UT.

For reference, the mean plane-of-sky speeds at several PA for
the different features involved, is given below (based only on 
C3 data): 

Feature (1):
PA 238:  596 km/s
PA 266:  487 km/s
PA 297:  388 km/s 
PA 348:  380 km/s

Feature (2):
PA 234:  426 km/s
PA 265:  394 km/s

GOES reported the following X_ray events which could likely be 
associated with the C2/C3 events mentioned above:
(a) a B3.4 X-ray event at S07W00 (associated to NOAA AR 10624) 
between 22:26 - 23:14 UT with peak emission at 22:53 UT (on 
2004/06/06).
(b) a C2.7 X-ray event at S17W42 (associated to NOAA AR 10621) 
between 00:01 - 01:15 UT with peak emission at 00:44 UT (on 
2004/06/07). This event is indeed clearly associated with the 
C2/C3 event (2).
A third event was also reported by GOES, but occurred too late: 
a B5.2 X-ray event at S11W47 (associated also to NOAA AR 10621) 
between 02:34 - 03:14 UT with peak emission at 02:54 UT (on 
2004/06/07).

On the other hand, EIT Fe XII running difference images show: 
(a') a brightening above NOAA AR 10624 in the frames at 22:36
and 23:12 UT [signature of (a)],
(b') a signature of a CME starting at around 00:12 UT above 
NOAA AR 10621, traveling toward SW [EIT counterpart of (2)].

In summary, if (a) and (a') are really associated to the faint 
diffuse halo front (2) seen in C2 and C3 images, the event is 
to be catalogued as a 'full' halo CME, frontsided. 

Should that not be the case, there still seems to be enough 
evidence to say that there was at least a partly Earth directed 
event. 

Movies and images of the complex event will shortly be available 
at:

ftp://ares.nrl.navy.mil/pub/lasco/halo/20040607

Best wishes,
       
            Guillermo Stenborg


++
Dr. Guillermo A. Stenborg   
SOHO-LASCO Operations Scientist,                                           
CUA, MC 682.3, Bldg 26, Rm 001,   F: +1-301-286-0264         
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center,
Greenbelt, MD 20771.              P: +1-301-286-2941

e-mail: stenborg@kreutz.nascom.nasa.gov
++