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

This peak, occurring periodically throughout the sun’s 11-year cycle, represents an increase in solar events like coronal mass ejections and solar flares. —Ty Roush, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025

As part of the new study, Knutsen and her team programmed Perseverance's cameras to watch the sky after solar eruptions known as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) blasted in the direction of Mars. —Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 15 Sep. 2025

The tachocline is where the seeds of solar flares and coronal mass ejections are thought to form. —Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 13 Sep. 2025

In March 2024, NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover imaged visible-light auroras for the first time during a major solar flare and coronal mass ejection. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 10 Sep. 2025

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