Dr. Noe Lugaz
University of New Hampshire

Eruptions from the Sun occur more than once a day on average, each time releasing more energy than the largest earthquakes, and potentially affecting Earth's technology and infrastructures. However, little definite is known about these solar eruptions: there is a debate about their origin and the physical mechanism of their initiation, and there is only a partial understanding of their propagation and their effects on Earth's magnetosphere and upper atmosphere. In the past decade, three-dimensional numerical simulations and new heliospheric observations have shed light on the propagation and interaction of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) in the interplanetary space, paving the way towards more accurate space weather forecasting.

In this talk, I will present recent progress in our understanding of CMEs, obtained by use of numerical simulations as well as data analysis. I will also discuss the basics of space weather prediction from a solar-heliospheric point-of-view, the potential causes of extreme space weather and outstanding issues regarding CMEs to be resolved by future studies and missions.