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.

—Ron Cowen

—abbreviation CME compare solar flare

Examples of coronal mass ejection in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Unlike some of the strongest aurora displays of recent years, this week’s event is not being driven by a coronal mass ejection. — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 21 July 2026

However, this potential sky show isn’t a result of a coronal mass ejection (CME), the intense solar eruptions responsible for some of the most widespread aurora events in recent years. — Valerie Mesa, PEOPLE, 21 July 2026

The study comes as the sun remains near the peak of its roughly 11-year solar cycle, known as solar maximum, when sunspots, solar flares and coronal mass ejections become more frequent. — Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 17 July 2026

The sun attained solar maximum in 2024, releasing intense flares and coronal mass ejections that caused Earth’s atmosphere to expand, which only intensified the drag on Swift, according to NASA. — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 3 July 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1974, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for coronal mass ejection

• abjection
• advection
• affection
• bijection
• bisection
• collection
• complexion
• confection
• connection
• connexion
• convection
• correction