3D MHD Simulation of CME Propagation from Solar Corona to 1 AU

We present a three-dimensional (3D) numerical ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) model describing the time-dependent expulsion of a CME from the solar corona propagating all the way to 1 A.U.. 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 at high and low latitudes respectively. Within this model system, we drive a CME to erupt by the introduction of a Gibson-Low magnetic flux rope that is anchored at both ends in the photosphere and embedded in the helmet streamer in an initial state of force imbalance. The flux rope then rapidly accelerates to speeds in excess of 1500 km/sec driving a strong MHD shock as part of the CME. We find that both the shock front and the flux rope are strongly effected by bi-modal solar wind as the CME travels to 1 AU. Physics based AMR allows us to capture the complexity of the CME development and propagation focused on a particular Sun-Earth line. The applied numerical algorithm is designed to use optimal computational resources for the sake of tracing CMEs with very high spatial resolution all the way from Sun to Earth. We compare the model CME plasma parameters at 1 AU to observations and find the event to be geoeffective.