Mass ejections from the sun - A view from Skylab

Abstract

More than 30 instances of sudden mass ejections from the sun were observed with the white light coronagraph experiment aboard Skylab during the first 118 days of the mission. Typically, these ejections appear as large magnetic loops rooted at the sun, yet expanding outward through the solar corona at speeds of the order of 400 km/sec. The loops always appear to retain their magnetic connection to the sun. Eighteen of these ejections were associated with active and eruptive prominences and surges; only three ejections appear to have been flare initiated. Associations with ground-detected metric wavelength type 2 and 4 radio bursts occur for about 30% of these events; however, ground-detected type 2 and 4 radio bursts originating near the limb are almost invariably accompanied by coronagraph-observed ejections. Pressure or MHD waves run out ahead of the transient material ejecta; at times these waves can be detected by their effects on nearby coronal structures.