Merging magnetic blobs fuel the sun’s huge plasma eruptions

Before coronal mass ejections, plasma shoots up, breaks apart and then comes together again

coronal mass ejections

BURSTING WITH PLASMA  Solar scientists have long wondered what drives big bursts of plasma called coronal mass ejections. New analysis of an old eruption suggests the driving force might be merging magnetic blobs.

SDO/GSFC/NASA

Solar plasma eruptions are the sum of many parts, a new look at a 2013 coronal mass ejection shows.