Large-scale magnetic structures of coronal mass ejections

Based on the studies on the source regions of a group of coronal mass ejections, we have identified two types of large-scale magnetic structures, and suggested that they are intrinsic components of solar magnetism, their destabilization, expansion, and eruption into the interplanetary space are the basic physical processes which lead to the coronal mass ejections. These two types of large-scale structures are giant magnetic loops connecting the two active belts on the opposite hemispheres of the Sun, and the giant filaments (filament channels) and their related magnetic structures. The latter often appear as two parallel rows of sunspots and plage fields, which align side by side in the full disk daily and synoptic magnetograms. The magnetic neutral lines of these large-scale structures are usually longer than 50 heliographic degrees. We name this type of structure “super A configuration”. Sometimes, they are shown as very long filaments and related large-scale magnetic fields. As these magnetic structures are of very large scale, they extend to a great altitude into the corona, they are not easily recognized in magnetic field observations which are usually aimed at solar flare studies. To identify these large-scale structures becomes a key to understanding and predicting coronal mass ejections.