Far-ultraviolet spectra of fast coronal mass ejections associated with X-class flares

The Ultraviolet Coronagraph Spectrometer (UVCS) on board the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory satellite has observed very fast coronal mass ejections (CMEs) associated with X-class flares. These events show spectral signatures different from those seen in most other CMEs in terms of very rapid disruption of the pre-CME streamer, very high Doppler shifts, and high-temperature plasma visible in the [Fe XVIII] emission line. This paper describes three very similar events on 2002 April 21, July 23, and August 24 associated with X-class flares. We determine the physical parameters of the pre-CME streamers and discuss the geometric and physical nature of the streamer blowouts. In the April 21 event, the hot plasma seen as [Fe XVIII] is not related to the structure seen in [Fe XXI] by the Solar Ultraviolet Measurement of Emitted Radiation (SUMER) instrument at lower heights. It has the form of a rapidly expanding fan, quite likely a current sheet. In the August event, on the other hand, the [Fe XVIII] is probably a bubble of hot plasma formed by reconnection in the wake of the CME. C III emission from the July 23. are is detected as stray light in the UVCS aperture. It precedes the hard X-ray brightening by about 2 minutes.