Characterization of the Early Dynamics of Solar Coronal Bright Fronts

Abstract

We present a comprehensive characterization of 26 CME-driven compressive waves known as Coronal Bright Fronts (CBFs) observed in the low solar corona between 2010 and 2017. These CBFs have been found to be associated with SEP events near Earth, indicating their importance in understanding space weather phenomena. The aim of this study is to analyze and describe the early dynamics of CBFs using a physics-based heliospheric SEP forecasting system known as the SPREAdFAST framework. This framework utilizes a chain of data-driven analytic and numerical models to predict SEP fluxes at multiple locations in the inner heliosphere by considering their acceleration at CMEs near the Sun and subsequent interplanetary transport. To estimate the time-dependent plasma and compression parameters of the CBFs, we utilized sequences of base-difference images obtained from the AIA instrument on board the SDO satellite, and measurements of the height-time profiles of the CMEs obtained from the LASCO instrument on board the SOHO satellite. We employed kinematic measurements and plasma model results to derive these parameters. The SPREAdFAST framework facilitated the analysis and correlation of these observations with SEP events near Earth. Our analysis yielded statistical relations and distributions for both the shocks and plasma parameters associated with the 26 CBFs investigated. By combining the observations from the AIA and LASCO instruments, as well as the data products from the SPREAdFAST framework, we obtained a comprehensive understanding of the early dynamics of CBFs, including their temporal evolution, plasma properties, and compressional characteristics. These findings contribute to the growing body of knowledge in the field and have implications for space weather forecasting and the study of SEP events.