The coronagraph is an instrument that enables the investigation of faint features in the vicinity of the Sun, particularly coronal mass ejections (CMEs). So far coronagraphic observations have been mainly used to determine the geometric and kinematic parameters of CMEs. Here, we introduce a new method for the determination of CME temperature using a two filter (4025 °A and 3934 °A) coronagraph system. The thermal motion of free electrons in CMEs broadens the absorption lines in the optical spectra that are produced by the Thomson scattering of visible light originating in the photosphere, which affects the intensity ratio at two different wavelengths. Thus the CME temperature can be inferred from the intensity ratio measured by the two filter coronagraph system. We demonstrate the method by invoking the graduated cylindrical shell (GCS) model for the 3-dimensional CME density distribution and discuss its significance.

Solar chromospheric surges are often reported to contain rotational motion. However, the details of the motion and driving mechanism of the surges are not yet fully understood. Recurrent surges with rotational motion at AR 10930 on the west limb are observed by Hinode Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) continuously from 11:21 UT on December 18 to 09:58 UT on December 19, 2006, using the Ca II H broadband filter. We analyze details of the motion including number of turns from the rise of the surge to the fall, axial speed and acceleration. During the observation, rise and fall motion accompanying rotation appears recurrently. There occur a total of 14 surges at AR 10930 over 17 hours. The average duration is 45 minutes, and the average width, and length are 8 Mm, and 39 Mm, respectively. We speculate that the surges occurred by recurrent reconnections between the twisted prominence and large untwisted flux tube.