Tracking a major interplanetary disturbance with SMEI
Price, S.; Simnett, G. M.; Webb, D. F.; Tappin, S. J.; Jackson, B. V.; Buffington, A.; Hick, P. P.; Johnston, J. C.; Eyles, C. J.; Waltham, N. R.; Sinclair, D.; Mizuno, D.; Radick, R. R.; Cooke, M. P.; Holladay, P. E.; Kuchar, T.; Mozer, J. B.
Abstract
We present the first clear observations of an Earth-directed interplanetary disturbance tracked by the Solar Mass Ejection Imager (SMEI). We find that this event can be related to two halo CMEs seen at the Sun about 2 days earlier, and which merged in transit to 1 AU. The disturbance was seen about 16 hours before it reached Earth,and caused a severe geomagnetic storm at the time which would have been predicted had SMEI been operating as a real-time monitor. It is concluded that SMEI is capable of giving many hours advance warning of the possible arrival of interplanetary disturbances.