coronal mass ejection

noun

: a tremendous outburst of energy from the corona of the sun that can cause disruptions in the earth's geomagnetic field
As they had for the January eruption, the researchers relied on an armada of spacecraft to track the disturbance, known as a coronal mass ejection because it originates in the sun's outer atmosphere, or corona.R. Cowen
abbreviation CME
compare solar flare

Examples of coronal mass ejection in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Center, solar material and magnetic fields erupted and created a coronal mass ejection Oct. 8. Olivia Rose, The Arizona Republic, 12 Oct. 2024 The fastest coronal mass ejections can reach Earth from the Sun in 15 to 18 hours, and slower ejections can take several days to arrive, NOAA officials said. Lauren Penington, The Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2024 These types of solar storms occur when eruptions from the sun, known as coronal mass ejections, hurl giant clouds of plasma into space. Denise Chow, NBC News, 10 Oct. 2024 The agency is monitoring solar conditions after a strong X -class flare pushed out a coronal mass ejection from the center of the sun Wednesday. John Tufts, The Indianapolis Star, 10 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for coronal mass ejection 

Word History

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of coronal mass ejection was in 1974

Dictionary Entries Near coronal mass ejection

Cite this Entry

“Coronal mass ejection.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coronal%20mass%20ejection. Accessed 24 Nov. 2024.

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