Periodicities in the occurrence of solar coronal mass ejections

TL;DR

This study identifies significant periodicities in solar coronal mass ejections and flares, revealing their occurrence patterns and phase relationships with solar activity cycles through Fourier and wavelet analyses.

Contribution

It provides a comparative analysis of CME and flare periodicities, highlighting long-term activity patterns and phase lags, which enhances understanding of solar activity cycles.

Findings

CME occurrences show significant periodicities around 1.9, 1.2, 265, 39, and 26 days.

Flare activities exhibit well-known periods of 1.3 years, 152 days, and 27 days.

Long period CME and flare activities occur mainly near solar maximum, with flares lagging CME by about six months.

Abstract

The Fourier analysis of the CME occurrence data observed by the SOHO satellite shows significant power around 1.9 yr., 1.2 yr., 265 day, 39 day and 26 day periodicities which are almost similar to the periodicities detected in the Fourier analysis of underlying activities of the photosphere. The wavelet analysis of CME occurrences also shows significant power around such periods which occur near the peak of solar activity. For the sake of comparison, the occurrences of H-alpha flares are subjected to Fourier and wavelet analyses. The well-known periods (1.3 yr., 152 day, 27 day) in the flare occurrences are detected. The wavelet analyses of both the occurrences yield the following results : (i) in the both CME and Flare activities, long period (~ 1.3 yr) activity occurs around solar maximum only and, (ii) flare activity of long period, especially for the period 1.3 year, lags behind the long period CME activity nearly by six months. Possible physical explanation for the 1.2 yr CME quasi-periodicity is briefly discussed.