Comparison of the Coronal Magnetic Field Derived from PFSS and MHD Models
Abstract
The coronal magnetic field determines many properties of the solar corona such as the location of the heliospheric current sheet and regions of high and low speed solar wind. Thus understanding the structure of the coronal magnetic field is crucial to the understanding of space weather. Several models use a synoptic map to derive the structure of the coronal field out to several solar radii. One such model is the potential field source surface model (PFSS). This model neglects electric currents between the photosphere and a "source surface" (typically 2.5 Rs). At the source surface the field lines are forced to be radial in order to mimic the effects of the solar wind. In contrast MHD models try to self-consistently derive the coronal field and the plasma properties of the corona. We compare the coronal magnetic field structures derived by the PFSS and MHD models in order to understand what role dynamical effects may have on the field structure.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2002
- Bibcode:
- 2002AGUFMSH52A0456L
- Keywords:
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- 7509 Corona;
- 7524 Magnetic fields