Burlaga, L. F., S. P. Plunkett, and O. C. St. Cyr, Successive CMEs and complex ejecta, Journal of Geophysical Research (Space Physics), 107, 1266 (2002) (ADS)
(click on the image for a larger version)
This is a cartoon laudably attempting not to be comprehensive, but
simply to illustrate an important point (even if it does remind one of the
Piddington cartoon, with its
remarkable famous equation "J = Anything".
The sketch shows successive solar ejecta coalescing in the solar
wind as they overtake and interact.
This reminds us that the solar wind is physically different from
the corona, in the sense that the plasma beta is much higher and
this sort of interaction would be expected to occur readily.
The Archivist notes the remarkable fidelity of this cartoon - it seems
as though, with patience, one can follow individual features as they evolve.
Note however that the time series (as befits the observer) is backwards.
This is a cartoon laudably attempting not to be comprehensive, but simply to illustrate an important point (even if it does remind one of the Piddington cartoon, with its remarkable famous equation "J = Anything". The sketch shows successive solar ejecta coalescing in the solar wind as they overtake and interact. This reminds us that the solar wind is physically different from the corona, in the sense that the plasma beta is much higher and this sort of interaction would be expected to occur readily. The Archivist notes the remarkable fidelity of this cartoon - it seems as though, with patience, one can follow individual features as they evolve. Note however that the time series (as befits the observer) is backwards.