The SAIC global 3D MHD
coronal model is a keystone of
the solar/interplanetary part of
the integrated modeling effort
as it allows solar
observation-based boundary
conditions, and can be run for
both steady and
time-dependent cases. At
present, the model uses solar
magnetograph-derived
synoptic charts to specify the
photospheric magnetic field.
Steady global MHD coronal
models show how the solar
wind distorts the coronal field,
and give accurate boundaries
for long-lived space weather
features like coronal holes. The
models also allow comparisons
with the coronal streamer
density structures observed
with coronagraphs.
The top figures show field lines
and line-of-sight densities
computed from two different
SAIC 3-D global MHD
simulations of the corona and
inner heliosphere. The
computation of the
line-of-sight densities is a key
diagnostic for validation of this
model against observations
from NRL's LASCO instrument
on SOHO, and the HAO's
MLSO coronagraph. The
bottom figure shows where the
global model finds open field
lines, and thus coronal hole
solar wind streams, for a
particular time, compared with
an EUV image showing the
coronal holes from the EIT on
SOHO. The SAIC coronal
model has been extensively
compared with solar
observations from both SOHO
and the MLSO coronagraph
for the period of the "Whole
Sun Month" campaign study,
with promising results.
Click on the images to the left to view the corresponding animation.
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