Solar, Heliospheric and INterplanetary Environment (SHINE) Studies of Colliding Coronal Mass Ejections

Catholic University Of America, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

The principal goal of this effort is to identify and understand colliding Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) preceding complex interplanetary activity: solar energetic particle (SEP) events, solar wind structure and composition variations, interplanetary ejecta, radio bursts, and geomagnetic storms. Multiple data sources will be employed to (1) identify, list, and characterize CME interactions, (2) investigate solar wind signatures 2-4 days following colliding, Earth-directed, CMEs, (3) identify large SEP events which exhibit mixed impulsive and gradual characteristics and determine their relation (if any) to colliding CMEs, (4) classify types of interactions between CMEs, and (5) determine if there are solar-cycle dependences of CME interaction occurrences and characteristics.