How does large flaring activity from the same active region produce oppositely directed magnetic clouds?

Abstract

We describe the interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs) that occurred as a result of a series of solar flares and eruptions from 4 to 8 November 2004. Two ICMEs/magnetic clouds occurring from these events had opposite magnetic orientations. This was despite the fact that the major flares related to these events occurred within the same active region that maintained the same magnetic configuration. The solar events include a wide array of activities: flares, trans-equatorial coronal loop disappearance and reformation, trans-equatorial filament eruption, and coronal hole interaction. The first major ICME/magnetic cloud was predominantly related to the active region 10696 eruption. The second major ICME/magnetic cloud was found to be consistent with the magnetic orientation of an erupting trans-equatorial filament or else a rotation of 160° of a flux rope in the active region. We discuss these possibilities and emphasize the importance of understanding the magnetic evolution of the solar source region before we can begin to predict geoeffective events with any accuracy.