Modeling the Carrington Event: sun-to-earth propagation of a very fast CME
Abstract
We present a three-dimensional (3D) numerical ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model describing the time-dependent propagation of a CME from the solar corona to Earth in just 18 hours. The simulations are performed using the BATS-R-US (Block Adaptive Tree Solarwind Roe Upwind Scheme) code. We begin by developing a global steady-state model of the corona that possesses high-latitude coronal holes and a helmet streamer structure with a current sheet at the equator. The Archimedian spiral topology of the interplanetary magnetic field is reproduced along with fast and slow speed solar wind. Within this model system, we drive a CME to erupt by the introduction of a Gibson-Low magnetic flux rope that is embedded in the helmet streamer in an initial state of force imbalance. The flux rope rapidly expands driving a very fast CME with an initial speed of in excess of 4000 km/s and slowing to a speed of nearly 2000 km/s at Earth. We find our model predicts a thin sheath around the flux rope, passing the earth in only two hours. Shocked solar wind temperatures at 1 AU are in excess of 10 million degrees. Physics based AMR allows us to capture the structure of the CME focused on a particular Sun-Earth line with high spatial resolution given to the bow shock ahead of the flux rope.
- Publication:
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AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- May 2004
- Bibcode:
- 2004AGUSMSH43A..06M
- Keywords:
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- 2784 Solar wind/magnetosphere interactions;
- 7513 Coronal mass ejections;
- 7524 Magnetic fields;
- 7531 Prominence eruptions;
- 7851 Shock waves