Modeling observations of solar coronal mass ejections with heliospheric imagers verified with the Heliophysics System Observatory
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Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
We present an advance toward accurately predicting the arrivals of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) at the terrestrial planets, including Earth. For the first time, we are able to assess a CME prediction model using data over two thirds of a solar cycle of observations with the Heliophysics System Observatory. We validate modeling results of 1337 CMEs observed with the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) heliospheric imagers (HI) (science data) from 8 years of observations by five in situ observing spacecraft. We use the self-similar expansion model for CME fronts assuming 60° longitudinal width, constant speed, and constant propagation direction. With these assumptions we find that 23%–35% of all CMEs that were predicted to hit a certain spacecraft lead to clear in situ signatures, so that for one correct prediction, two to three false alarms would have been issued. In addition, we find that the prediction accuracy does not degrade with the HI longitudinal separation from Earth. Predicted arrival times are on average within 2.6 ± 16.6 h difference of the in situ arrival time, similar to analytical and numerical modeling, and a true skill statistic of 0.21. We also discuss various factors that may improve the accuracy of space weather forecasting using wide-angle heliospheric imager observations. These results form a first-order approximated baseline of the prediction accuracy that is possible with HI and other methods used for data by an operational space weather mission at the Sun-Earth L5 point.
Date Issued
2017-07-29
Date Acceptance
2017-06-30
Citation
Space Weather-the International Journal of Research and Applications, 2017, 15 (7), pp.955-970
ISSN
1539-4956
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
Start Page
955
End Page
970
Journal / Book Title
Space Weather-the International Journal of Research and Applications
Volume
15
Issue
7
Copyright Statement
©2017. The Authors. This is an open access article under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits use, distribution and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Sponsor
Commission of the European Communities
Identifier
http://gateway.webofknowledge.com/gateway/Gateway.cgi?GWVersion=2&SrcApp=PARTNER_APP&SrcAuth=LinksAMR&KeyUT=WOS:000407927800009&DestLinkType=FullRecord&DestApp=ALL_WOS&UsrCustomerID=1ba7043ffcc86c417c072aa74d649202
Grant Number
606692
Subjects
Science & Technology
Physical Sciences
Astronomy & Astrophysics
Geochemistry & Geophysics
Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences
IN-SITU OBSERVATIONS
MAGNETIC-FIELD
SPACE WEATHER
VENUS-EXPRESS
WHITE-LIGHT
BOW SHOCK
MESSENGER
ARRIVAL
PLASMA
INSTRUMENT
Publication Status
Published
Date Publish Online
2017-07-29