Space Weather and Coronal Mass Ejections

Severe space weather poses significant risks, affecting spacecraft operations and causing power outages on Earth. It is particularly hazardous for airline passengers and astronauts due to radiation exposure. The primary culprits behind these "magnetic storms" are coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are massive eruptions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun, capable of reaching speeds of thousands of kilometers per second. Understanding these phenomena is crucial for mitigating their impacts on technology and human safety.