Fundamental aspects of coronal mass ejections #5

Abstract

The most violent frequently reoccurring events in the solar system are coronal mass ejections. During a high energy cycle of the Sun, or solar max, these can happen as often as six times a day. If the most extreme of these events are focused so theydirectlyimpact Earth, the force of impact can be the equivalent of a huge number of nuclear bombs that can generate an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) with devastating effect. Such a pulse could cripplethe world’s electrical grids and knock out most satellites in orbit. This chapter describes the so-called CME phenomenon and current understandingof why and how they occur. The finalelement of the chapter discusses the Earth’s naturally occurring protective systems that minimize the impactof these otherwise deadly occurrences.