Hydrodynamic Modeling of ICMEs' Speeds from the Sun to the Orbit of Jupiter
Abstract
Evidence shows that the CME-solar wind interaction may simply be treated from the point of view of Hydrodynamics as a drag interaction with the appropriate drag factors, not only at distances inside the orbit of the Earth, but at larger distances as well. In this work, as a first step, we use a one-dimensional hydrodynamic model to explain the radial dynamics of a particular ICME detected at three different locations: Close to the Sun, where the ICME was ejected on January 20th, 2004 by the SOHO/LASCO coronographs; two days later, at Earth's L1 by the ACE spacecraft (≈1.0AU), and finally, approximately 14 days later, at near 5.3 AU by the Ulysses spacecraft near Jupiter's orbit. This one-dimensional hydrodynamic model derived from the fluid equation of motion that considers an effective drag force assuming, separately, a laminar and a turbulent regime (low and high Reynolds number, respectively). The model has three sets of input parameters. The first set is related to the ICME itself, i. e., initial speed and mass; the second set of parameters is related to the ambient solar wind: density and velocity; and the final set corresponds to the ambient solar wind - ICME interaction: an ICME expansion factor and a viscosity or drag parameter. As a second step and in a broader approach, the model is then compared to a general ICME data set (from the Ulysses spacecraft), that cover distances from near 1.3 AU to near 5.3 AU. In general, the model we apply, successfully reproduces the dynamical behavior of this data set at distances near Earth's orbit and we can say that it works reasonably well at larger distances (≈ 5.3 AU).
- Publication:
-
AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- May 2013
- Bibcode:
- 2013AGUSMSH32A..05F
- Keywords:
-
- 7513 SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY / Coronal mass ejections;
- 7800 SPACE PLASMA PHYSICS;
- 7509 SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY / Corona