• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.9-24
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• 2009

We compare the relation among the annual distribution of sunspots: coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and geomagnetic storms and North-South asymmetry during solar cycle 23. For this purpose, we calculate correlation coefficients between (i) annual distribution and N-S asymmetry of CMEs - sunspots (ii) distribution of CMEs - occurrence number of geomagnetic storms (iii) distribution of sunspots - occurrence number of geomagnetic storms. We find that (i) the annual distribution of total CMEs has good correlation with distribution of annual average of sunspots but poor correlation with N-S asymmetry of sunspots, N-S asymmetry of CMEs has good correlation with N-S asymmetry of sunspots: (ii) total and N-S asymmetry of CMEs have poor correlation with occurrence number of geomagnetic storms, it's, however, well correlated with the classified groups of CMEs (Ap, Dst and an indices vs. fast CMEs($\upsilon$ > $1000kms^{-1}$), Dst index vs. Halo CMEs), and (iii) sunspot numbers and area are correlated with occurrence number of geomagnetic storms. We conclude that annual distribution of CMEs and sunspots have well correlated with geomagnetic storms, N-S asymmetry of CMEs and sunspots have poor correlated with the geomagnetic storms.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.4
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• pp.171-177
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• 2004

X-ray plasma ejections often occurred around the impulsive phases of solar flares and have been well observed by the SXT aboard Yohkoh. Though the X-ray plasma ejections show various morphological shapes, there has been no attempt at classifying the morphological groups for a large sample of the X-ray plasma ejections. In this study, we have classified 137 X-ray plasma ejections according to their shape for the first time. Our classification criteria are as follows: (1) a loop type shows ejecting plasma with the shape of loops, (2) a spray type has a continuous stream of plasma without showing any typical shape, (3) a jet type shows collimated motions of plasma, (4) a confined ejection shows limited motions of plasma near a flaring site. As a result, we classified the flare-associated X-ray plasma ejections into five groups as follows: loop-type (60 events), spray-type (40 events), jet-type (11 events), confined ejection (18 events), and others (8 events). As an illustration, we presented time sequence images of several typical events to discuss their morphological characteristics, speed, CME association, and magnetic field configuration. We found that the jet-type events tend to have higher speeds and better association with CMEs than those of the loop-type events. It is also found that the CME association (11/11) of the jet-type events is much higher than that (5/18) of the confined ejections. These facts imply that the physical characteristics of the X-ray plasma ejections are closely associated with magnetic field configurations near the reconnection regions.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.29.2-29.2
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• 2010

The Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on board Hinode provide us with excellent imaging spectroscopic data with very good spatial and spectral resolutions, which can be used for detecting Doppler flows in transition region and coronal lines as well as diagnosing plasma properties such as temperature, density, and non-thermal velocity. In this study we have made an EUV-imaging spectroscopic study of the source region of a partial halo coronal mass ejection (CME) that occurred on 2007 July 9 in NOAA 10961. Dopplergrams are obtained before and after the CME eruption using 12 EIS spectral lines (Log T= 4.9~7.2). Major results are summarized as follows. First, it is noted that either red shifts disappeared or blue shifts newly appeared for all spectral lines lower than Log T =6.0. Second, there were significant intensity increases for all wavelengths. Third, there were no significant variations in non-thermal motions for all wavelengths. We found one interesting bright point that newly appeared after the CME eruption. We discuss the implication on the results in terms of the CME eruption.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.96.1-96.1
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• 2013

A Forbush decrease(FD) is a depression of cosmic ray intensity observed by ground-based neutron monitors(NMs). The cosmic ray intensity is thought to be modulated by the heliospheric magnetic structures including the interplanetary coronal mass ejection(ICME) surrounding the Earth. The different magnitude of the decreasing in intensity at each NM was explained only by the geomagnetic cutoff rigidity of NM station. However, sometimes NMs of the almost same rigidity in northern and southern hemispheres observe the asymmetric intensity depression magnitudes of FD events. Thus, in this study we intend to see the effects on cosmic ray intensity depression rate of FD event recorded at different NMs due to different ICME propagation direction as an additional parameter in the model explaining the cosmic ray modulation. Fortunately, since 2006 the coronagraphs of twin spacecraft of the STEREO mission allow us to infer the propagation direction of ICME associated with the FD event in 3-dimension with respect to the Earth. We confirm that the asymmetric cosmic ray decreasing modulations of FD events are determined by the propagation directions of the associated ICMEs.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.82.3-83
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• 2017

We investigate the relationships between the peak fluxes of 18 solar energetic particle (SEP) events and associated coronal mass ejection (CME) 3D parameters (speed, angular width, and separation angle) obtained from SOHO, STEREO-A and/or B for the period from 2010 August to 2013 June. We apply the STEREO CME Analysis Tool (StereoCAT) to the SEP-associated CMEs to obtain 3D speeds and 3D angular widths. The separation angles are determined as the longitudinal angle between flaring regions and magnetic footpoints of the spacecraft, which are calculated by the assumption of Parker spiral field. The main results are as follows. 1) We find that the dependence of the SEP peak fluxes on CME 3D speed from multi-spacecraft is similar to that on 2D CME speed. 2) There is a positive correlation between SEP peak flux and 3D angular width from multi-spacecraft, which is much more evident than the relationship between SEP peak flux and 2D angular width. 3) There is a noticeable anti-correlation (r=-0.62) between SEP peak flux and separation angle. 4) The multiple regression method between SEP peak fluxes and CME parameters shows that the longitudinal separation angle is the most important parameter, and the CME 3D speed is secondary on SEP peak flux.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.27-32
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• 2009

Recently, we suggested a CME earthward direction parameter as an important geoeffective parameter that has been demonstrated by front-side halo CME data. In this study, we present the geometrical implication of this parameter by comparing with the parameters from a CME cone model. Major results from this study can be summarized as follows. First, we derive an analytic relationship between the cone model parameters(the half angular width of a cone and the angle between the cone axis and the plane of sky) and the earthward direction parameter. Second, we demonstrate a close relationship between the earthward direction parameter and the cone axis angle using 32 front-side full halo CMEs. Third, we found that there is noticeable inconsistency between the cone axis angles estimated from the cone model fitting to the CMEs and from their associated flare positions, implying that the flare position should not be considered as a good earthward direction parameter. Finally we present several advantages of our earthward direction parameter in terms of the forecast of a geomagnetic storm based on CME parameters.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.82.2-82.2
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• 2011

Major solar eruptive events, consisting of both a large flare and a near simultaneous fast coronal mass ejection (CME), are the most powerful explosions in the solar system, releasing $10^{32}-10^{33}$ ergs in ${\sim}10^{3-4}\;s$. They are also the most powerful and energetic particle accelerators, producing ions up to tens of GeV and electrons up to hundreds of MeV. For flares, the accelerated particles often contain up to ~50% of the total energy released, a remarkable efficiency that indicates the particle acceleration is intimately related to the energy release process. Similar transient energy release/particle acceleration processes appear to occur elsewhere in the universe, in stellar flares, magnetars, etc. Escaping solar energetic particles (SEPs) appear to be accelerated by the shock wave driven by the fast CME at altitudes of ~1 40 $R_s$, with an efficiency of ~10%, about what is required for supernova shock waves to produce galactic cosmic rays. Thus, large solar eruptive events are our most accessible laboratory for understanding the fundamental physics of transient energy release and particle acceleration in cosmic magnetized plasmas. They also produce the most extreme space weather - the escaping SEPs are a major radiation hazard for spacecraft and humans in space, the intense flare photon emissions disrupt GPS and communications on the Earth, while the fast CME restructures the interplanetary medium with severe effects on the magnetospheres and atmospheres of the Earth and other planets. Here I review present observations of large solar eruptive events, and future space and ground-based measurements needed to understand the fundamental processes involved.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.80.2-80.2
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• 2011

The sudden decrease of galactic cosmic ray (GCR) intensity observed by ground neutron monitor (NM) is called a Forbush decrease (FD) event. The intensity time profile of FD event looks like the geomagnetic storm visualized by geomagnetic storm index Dst. Oh et al. [2008] and Oh and Yi [2009] classified the FD events into two kinds by criteria of the overlapping simultaneity of main phase in universal time (UT). The FD event is defined simultaneous if the main phase parts observed by the stations distributed evenly around the Earth are overlapped in UT and non-simultaneous if ones are overlapped in each station's local time (LT). They suggested the occurrence mechanisms of two kind FD events related to the interplanetary magnetic structures such as the interplanetary shock (IP shock) and magnetic cloud. According to their model, the simultaneity of FD depends on the strength and propagation direction of interactive magnetic structures overtaking the Earth. Now the STEREO mission can visualize the emergence and propagation direction of the coronal mass ejection (CME) in 3-dimension in the heliosphere. Thus, it is possible to test the suggested mechanisms causing two different types of FD events. One simultaneous FD observed on February 17, 2011 may be caused by a CME heading directly toward the Earth observed on February 15, 2011 by the STEREO mission. The simultaneity of FD event is proved to be a useful analysis tool in figuring out the geo-effectiveness of solar events such as interplanetary CMEs and IP shocks.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.37 no.1
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• pp.41-53
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• 2004

It has been a big mystery what drives filament eruptions and flares. We have studied in detail an X1.8 flare and its associated filament eruption that occurred in NOAA Active Region 9236 on November 24,2000. For this work we have analyzed high temporal (about 1 minute) and spatial (about 1 arcsec) resolution images taken by Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI) onboard the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory, Hoc centerline and blue wing ($-0.6{\AA}$) images from Big Bear Solar Observatory, and 1600 ${\AA}$ UV images by the Transition Region and Corona Explorer (TRACE). We have found that there were several transient brightenings seen in H$\alpha$ and, more noticeably in TRACE 1600 ${\AA}$ images around the preflare phase. A closer look at the UV brightenings in 1600 ${\AA}$ images reveals that they took place near one end of the erupting filament, and are a kind of jets supplying mass into the transient loops seen in 1600 ${\AA}$. These brightenings were also associated with canceling magnetic features (CMFs) as seen in the MDI magnetograms. The flux variations of these CMFs suggest that the flux cancellation may have been driven by the emergence of the new flux. For this event, we have estimated the ejection speeds of the filament ranging from 10 to 160 km $s^{-1}$ for the first twenty minutes. It is noted that the initiation of the filament eruption (as defined by the rise speed less than 20 km $s^{-1}$) coincided with the preflare activity characterized by UV brightenings and CMFs. The speed of the associated LASCO CME can be well extrapolated from the observed filament speed and its direction is consistent with those of the disturbed UV loops associated with the preflare activity. Supposing the H$\alpha$/UV transient brightenings and the canceling magnetic features are due to magnetic reconnect ion in the low atmosphere, our results may be strong observational evidence supporting that the initiation of the filament eruption and the preflare phase of the associated flare may be physically related to low-atmosphere magnetic reconnection.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.36 no.spc1
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• pp.37-44
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• 2003

In this paper, we review recent studies on the magnetic helicity changes of solar active regions by photospheric horizontal motions. Recently, Chae(200l) developed a methodology to determine the magnetic helicity change rate via photospheric horizontal motions. We have applied this methodology to four cases: (1) NOAA AR 8100 which has a series of homologous X-ray flares, (2) three active regions which have four eruptive major X-ray flares, (3) NOAA AR 9236 which has three eruptive X-class flares, and (4) NOAA AR 8668 in which a large filament was under formation. As a result, we have found several interesting results. First, the rate of magnetic helicity injection strongly depends on an active region and its evolution. Its mean rate ranges from 4 to $17 {\times} 10^{40}\;Mx^2\;h^{-1}$. Especially when the homologous flares occurred and when the filament was formed, significant rates of magnetic helicity were continuously deposited in the corona via photospheric shear flows. Second, there is a strong positive correlation between the magnetic helicity accumulated during the flaring time interval of the homologous flares in AR 8100 and the GOES X-ray flux integrated over the flaring time. This indicates that the occurrence of a series of homologous flares is physically related to the accumulation of magnetic helicity in the corona by photospheric shearing motions. Third, impulsive helicity variations took place near the flaring times of some strong flares. These impulsive variations whose time scales are less than one hour are attributed to localized velocity kernels around the polarity inversion line. Fourth, considering the filament eruption associated with an X1.8 flare started about 10 minutes before the impulsive variation of the helicity change rate, we suggest that the impulsive helicity variation is not a cause of the eruptive solar flare but its result. Finally, we discuss the physical implications on these results and our future plans.