Clustering of fast Coronal Mass Ejections during the solar cycles 23 and 24 and implications for CME-CME interactions

TL;DR

This study analyzes the clustering behavior of fast Coronal Mass Ejections during solar cycles 23 and 24, revealing their occurrence patterns, typical time scales, and potential impact on geomagnetic storms, with implications for understanding CME interactions.

Contribution

It introduces methods to quantify CME clustering properties and links these patterns to geomagnetic storm severity, providing new insights into CME-CME interactions and solar cycle dependence.

Findings

Fast CMEs mostly occur as isolated events or in small clusters.

Cluster occurrence varies with solar cycle phase, especially during maximum activity.

Clustered fast CMEs tend to produce larger geomagnetic storms.

Abstract

We study the clustering properties of fast Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) that occurred during solar cycles 23 and 24. We apply two methods: the Max spectrum method can detect the predominant clusters and the de-clustering threshold time method provides details on the typical clustering properties and time scales. Our analysis shows that during the different phases of solar cycles 23 and 24, CMEs with speed $\geq 1000\ km/s$ preferentially occur as isolated events and in clusters with on average two members. However, clusters with more members appear particularly during the maximum phases of the solar cycles. Over the total period and in the maximum phases of solar cycles 23 and 24, about 50% are isolated events, 18% (12%) occur in clusters with 2 (3) members, and another 20% in larger clusters $\geq 4$, whereas in solar minimum fast CMEs tend to occur more frequently as isolated events (62%). During different solar cycle phases, the typical de-clustering time scales of fast CMEs are $\tau_c=28-32\ hrs$, irrespective of the very different occurrence frequencies of CMEs during solar minimum and maximum. These findings suggest that $\tau_c$ for extreme events may reflect the characteristic energy build-up time for large flare and CME-prolific active ARs. Associating statistically the clustering properties of fast CMEs with the Disturbance storm index Dst at Earth suggests that fast CMEs occuring in clusters tend to produce larger geomagnetic storms than isolated fast CMEs. This may be related to CME-CME interaction producing a more complex and stronger interaction with the Earth magnetosphere.