ON THE FEASIBILITY OF IMAGING CORONAL MASS EJECTIONS AT RADIO WAVELENGTHS

Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) can have a profound impact on the interp lanetary medium and the near-Earth environment. We discuss the feasibi lity of detecting coronal mass ejections at radio wavelengths with a g round-based instrument. In particular, we explore the possibility that a radio telescope employing Fourier synthesis imaging techniques can detect thermal bremsstrahlung emission from CMEs. Using a simulated da tabase from such a telescope, we explore three detection schemes: dire ct detection, an approximate differential detection scheme, and an ''e xact'' differential detection scheme. We conclude that thermal bremsst rahlung emission from CMEs can be. detected by such a telescope provid ed differential techniques are employed. While the approximate differe ntial detection scheme may be sufficient for CMEs viewed near the sola r limb, detection of CMEs against the solar disk may require the more sensitive exact differential scheme. The detection and imaging of nont hermal radio emissions from CMEs is also discussed.