Interplanetary radio emission due to interaction between two coronal mass ejections

Abstract

We report on the detection of a new class of nonthermal radio emission due to the interaction between two coronal mass ejections (CMEs). The radio emission was detected by the Radio and Plasma Wave Experiment (WAVES) on board the Wind satellite, while the CMEs were observed by the white‐light coronagraphs of the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) mission. There was no type II radio burst (metric or interplanetary) preceding the nonthermal emission. The radio emission occurred at a distance beyond 10 R s from the Sun, where the two CMEs came in contact. Using H‐alpha and EUV images, we found that the two CMEs were ejected roughly along the same path. We argue that the nonthermal electrons responsible for the new type of radio emission were accelerated due to reconnection between the two CMEs and/or due to the formation of a new shock at the time of the collision between the two CMEs.