coronal mass ejection

American  

noun

Astronomy.

1. a large-scale solar event involving an ejection of hot plasma that may accelerate charged particles and travel as far as the earth's orbit, preceded by a shock front that may create a magnetic storm on earth. CME

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coronal mass ejection British  

noun

1. a cloud of particles ejected from the sun's surface during a solar flare

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coronal mass ejection Scientific  

/ kôr′ə-nəl,kŏr′-,kə-rō′nəl /

1. A massive, bubble-shaped burst of plasma expanding outward from the Sun's corona, in which large amounts of superheated particles are emitted at nearly the speed of light. The emissions can cause disturbances in the solar wind that disrupt satellites and create powerful magnetic storms on Earth. They were first observed in the early 1970s, when photographs taken from satellites revealed coronal activity that could not be seen in images taken from Earth.

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Example Sentences

Even in a quieter year, it only takes one large solar flare or a coronal mass ejection directed towards Earth to produce a stunning Northern Lights display across the UK.

From BBC • Dec. 28, 2025

A violent solar storm can generate an eruption of particles and magnetic fields, known as a coronal mass ejection, that if aimed directly at Earth could damage satellites and the power grid on the surface.

From Slate • Dec. 9, 2025

Image:This artist’s impression shows a coronal mass ejection, or CME, around a nearby star.

From Space Scoop • Nov. 28, 2025

The coronal mass ejection is predicted to reach the satellites Thursday morning, Eastern time.

From Los Angeles Times • Oct. 9, 2024

But when larger quantities of plasma are released, in the form of a coronal mass ejection, it can also be hazardous, causing significant damage to satellites and communications systems.

From Science Daily • May 28, 2024