  The physical processes, which drive powerful solar eruptions, play an
important role in our understanding of the Sun-Earth connection. In this
Special Issue, we firstly discuss how magnetic fields emerge from the solar
interior to the solar surface, to build up active regions, which commonly host
large-scale coronal disturbances, such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs). Then,
we discuss the physical processes associated with the driving and triggering of
these eruptions, the propagation of the large-scale magnetic disturbances
through interplanetary space and the interaction of CMEs with Earth's magnetic
field. The acceleration mechanisms for the solar energetic particles related to
explosive phenomena (e.g. flares and/or CMEs) in the solar corona are also
discussed. The main aim of this Issue, therefore, is to encapsulate the present
state-of-the-art in research related to the genesis of solar eruptions and
their space-weather implications.
  This article is part of the theme issue 'Solar eruptions and their space
weather impact'.
