LASCO Observations of Disconnected Magnetic Structures out to beyond 28 Solar Radii during Coronal Mass Ejections

by G.M. Simnett, S.J. Tappin, S.P. Plunkett, D.K. Bedford, C.J. Eyles, O.C. St. Cyr, R.A. Howard, G.E. Brueckner, D.J. Michels, J.D. Moses, D. Socker, K.P. Dere, C.M. Korendyke, S.E. Paswaters, D. Wang, R. Schwenn, P. Lamy, A. Llebaria, M.V. Bout

• Movie 1: This sequence shows the evolution of the west limb mass ejection which became visible above the C2 occulting disc (~ 2 R) about 04:00 UT on November 5. However, late on November 4 the near-equatorial streamer brightened significantly. The mass ejection develops as a swollen bubble of projected angular size around 30°. By 16:40 the leading part has cleared the outer edge of the C2 field-of-view at 6 R. In the frame at 19:20 UT the main ejection has clearly disconnected from the Sun, apart from a thin bright line extending backwards, which we suggest is evidence of a current sheet. The "Y"-shaped formation moves out of the field-of-view. Several other weaker "Y" features are also visible.
  • MPEG movie (~0.15Mb)
  • IDL Movie File (binary file, ~23Mb) (cf. instructions on viewing)

• Movie 2: This sequence shows the evolution of the mass ejection in the C3 field-of-view. Note that the "Y" feature are still visible, particularly at the end of November 5 and the beginning of November 6. Note that a small bright blob of matter is ejected around 06:00 UT on November 6 along the (projected) southern edge of the CME. The main mass ejection ahead of the most prominent "Y" feature is interpreted as a disconnected plasmoid, and it may be seen all the way to the edge of the field-of-view at ~ 30 R.
  • MPEG movie (~0.6Mb)
  • IDL Movie File (binary file, ~18Mb) (cf. instructions on viewing)

• Movie 3 (~2Mb): LASCO C2/C3 composite movie of the 29 July 1996 CME. This sequence shows the CME off the west limb. It emphasises the "<"-shaped rarefaction which is the subject of the paper by Wu et al. (this issue).