Podladchikova, O ; Patsourakos, S ; Nindos, A

Invited talk presented at The 11th Hellenic Astronomical Conference, Athens, Greece on 2013-09-08

Abstract: The interaction of an interplanetary coronal mass ejection (ICME) with the solar wind leads to an equalisation of the ICME and solar wind velocities at 1 AU. The forces acting on ICMEs have been evaluated so far in terms of an empirical drag coefficient C_D ~ 1 that describes the aerodynamic drag experienced by a typical ICME due to its interaction with the ambient solar wind. The consideration of viscous drag coefficients due to proton-magnetic kink encounters is more realistic for solar wind turbulence. We compare aerodynamic and viscous drag description and their impact on ICME propagation in solar wind. We also consider the impact of ICME distortions to their kinematics as they propagate in the inner heliosphere.

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