Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have become one of the key indicators of solar activity, especially in terms of the consequences of the transient events in the heliosphere. Although CMEs are closely related to the sunspot number (SSN), they are also related to other closed magnetic regions on the Sun such as quiescent filament regions. This makes CMEs a better indicator of solar activity. While sunspots mainly represent the toroidal component of solar magnetism, quiescent filaments (and hence CMEs associated with them) connect the toroidal and poloidal components via the rush-to-the-pole (RTTP) phenomenon. Taking the end of RTTP in each hemisphere as an indicator of solar polarity reversal, it is shown that the north-south reversal asymmetry has a quasi-periodicity of 3-5 solar cycles. Focusing on the geospace consequences of CMEs, it is shown that the maximum CME speeds averaged over Carrington rotation period show good correlation with geomagnetic activity indices such as Dst and aa.

To contribute to the understanding of the physical mechanisms at work during the initial phase and early evolution of erupting prominences, we analyze combined observations from ground-based and space-borne instruments. We present two case studies, which occurred at two different phases of the solar cycle, namely on March 2, 2002 and on April 16, 2012. In particular, we show the results of a morphological and kinematical analysis and interpret them in terms of available theoretical models.

Both the origin of the quiescent prominences and their eruption related to CMEs are still a matter of extended studies. The small scale dynamic aspects like vortex structures and counter- flows are now seriously taken into account having in mind that the flows are a good proxy of the line of force of the omnipresent but rather unknown in detail force free or not magnetic field. Large scale vortex has been detected in a high latitude prominence observed on November 13- 14, 2011 before its eruption.

Both the origin of the quiescent prominences and their eruption related to CMEs event are still a matter of extended studies. The case of high latitudes quiescent prominences producing slow CMEs can be considered as a potential component of the slow wind. A high latitude prominence was observed on November 13 - 14, 2011. A schematic representation of flux rope is proposed to describe the magnetic structure of the prominence prior to its eruption.