Validation of a Coupled Source Surface to MHD Model System at ACE and Ulysses

The Potential Field Source Surface model [Wang and Sheeley, 1988] combined with the Current Sheet modification [Schatten, 1971] is now in routine operation at the NWS Space Environment Center of NOAA. We use the sequence of source surface current sheet (SSCS) maps so produced. We developed a set of relatively simple empirical relationships to translate the SSCS map parameters into time-dependent MHD model lower boundary conditions at 0.1 AU. This system provides the 3D time-dependent slowly evolving background solar wind conditions in the inner heliosphere. To this system we add shock initiation perturbations to the lower boundary condition based on observed solar flares, CMEs and Type II solar radio bursts. The necessary shock descriptive parameters are generated in near real-time from these data. We compare simulated results with ACE solar wind observations. We have retrospectively adjusted the shock initiation parameters to maximize agreement with ACE observations, and extended the MHD model outer boundary to 10 AU. We will show results and comparisons of model results with Ulysses observations during the 2003 Halloween epoch. This work was partially funded by a NASA Living With a Star (LWS) TR&T grant through NOAA Work Order No.W-10,118 (ZS and TRD) and NASA Grant NAG-12527 (CDF and MD), by University Partnering for Operational Support program (UPOS) sponsored jointly by the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army (CDF and MD), and by Carmel Research Center (DI).