JOINT NANCAY RADIOHELIOGRAPH AND LASCO OBSERVATIONS OF CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS

The development of a coronal mass ejection on 9 July 1996 has been ana lyzed by comparing the observations of the LASCO/SOHO coronagraphs wit h those of the Nancay radioheliograph. The spatial and temporal evolut ion of the associated I radioburst is complex and involves a long-dura tion continuum. The analysis of the time sequence of the radio continu um reveals the existence of distinct phases associated with distinct r econnection processes and magnetic restructuring of the corona. Electr ons are accelerated in association with these reconnection processes. An excellent spatial association is found between the position and ext ension of the radio source and the CME seen by LASCO. Furthermore, it is shown that the topology and evolution of the source of the radio co ntinuum involve successive interactions between two systems of loops. These successive interactions lead to magnetic reconnection, then to a large scale coronal restructuring. Thus electrons of coronal origin m ay have access to the interplanetary medium in a large range of heliog raphic latitudes as revealed by the Ulysses observations.