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

The Northern Lights may be visible in the U.S. overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday as a coronal mass ejection travels towards Earth to cause a geomagnetic storm, according to the latest forecast by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Space Weather Prediction Center. —Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025

Solar flares are also often associated with coronal mass ejections, or CMEs. —Kerry Breen june 18, CBS News, 18 June 2025

Unraveling the sun's magnetic architecture is key to understanding phenomena like solar flares, eruptions and coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which drive space weather and can impact Earth. —Samantha Mathewson, Space.com, 6 June 2025

Scientists continue to learn from the probes, particularly how solar activity such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs), manifests at great distances. —Scott Neuman, NPR, 20 May 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