Brad Portnoy in Mike Reynolds class at Cranbrook MS wants to know What is in a CME and what causes them?
Hello Brad! What is a CME and what causes them? What a question! We’ve spent a lot of time trying to understand them. Fortunately, the people who studied these things when they were first discovered came up with a very good name for them: coronal mass ejections. They are the ejection of mass from the Sun’s corona or atmosphere. They can contain a billion tons of solar material (mostly hydrogen) and can go several million miles of hour out into space. As to the cause of CMEs, there are several possibilities: they all have to do with the storage and release of magnetic energy. Most of us believe that the magnetic energy builds up, and eventually the release of this energy occurs (like a sneeze!). Sometimes the release of energy occurs as a flare (so it causes a temporarily bright energized region on the Sun) and sometimes the magnetic fields are ejected in the form of a CME. Thanks for your questions! Dr.
Related Questions
- If a candidate wants to pursue a joint program with an MBA & MS in PFP, would it be possible to pursue a dual degree? Is it possible to complete a dual degree within 2 years?
- Im a provider who wants to authorize Class Counsel to prepare and file a Provider PEME Claim on my behalf. Do I need a Business Associate Agreement?
- What supplies do I need for Ms. Alonges class?
