A Stealth CME Bracketed between Slow and Fast Wind Producing Unexpected Geo-effectiveness

TL;DR

This study examines how a weak CME, influenced by surrounding solar wind structures, unexpectedly caused a significant geomagnetic storm, highlighting the importance of background solar wind conditions in CME geo-effectiveness.

Contribution

It demonstrates the combined effect of slow and fast solar wind streams on the geo-effectiveness of a weak CME using multi-instrument observations and modeling.

Findings

Weak CME produced a strong geomagnetic storm due to solar wind interactions.

CME was bracketed between slow wind and high-speed streams, enhancing its geo-effectiveness.

Solar wind environment significantly influences CME impact on Earth.

Abstract

We investigate how a weak coronal mass ejection (CME) launched on 2016 October 8 without obvious signatures in the low corona produced a relatively intense geomagnetic storm. Remote sensing observations from SDO, STEREO and SOHO and in situ measurements from WIND are employed to track the CME from the Sun to the Earth. Using a graduated cylindrical shell (GCS) model, we estimate the propagation direction and the morphology of the CME near the Sun. CME kinematics are determined from the wide-angle imaging observations of STEREO A and are used to predict the CME arrival time and speed at the Earth. We compare ENLIL MHD simulation results with in situ measurements to illustrate the background solar wind where the CME was propagating. We also apply a Grad--Shafranov technique to reconstruct the flux rope structure from in situ measurements in order to understand the geo-effectiveness associated with the CME magnetic field structure. Key results are obtained concerning how a weak CME can generate a relatively intense geomagnetic storm: (1) there were coronal holes at low latitudes, which could produce high speed streams (HSSs) to interact with the CME in interplanetary space; (2) the CME was bracketed between a slow wind ahead and a HSS behind, which enhanced the southward magnetic field inside the CME and gave rise to the unexpected geomagnetic storm.