CME and Flare Initiation Challenge

We propose a challenge aimed at testing the difference among different mathematical models and numerical codes in predicting the initiation and subsequent initial phases of evolution of CMEs and flares. This activity stems from the EC-funded collaborative project SOTERIA (soteria-space.eu) but is open to the world-wide solar community. We propose different modeling challenges in 2D and in 3D and we present our first sets of results obtained with different models and codes. The goal is primarily that of zeroing in on the different outcomes of different choices of dissipations, compressibility, beyond-MHD models in determining the role of the different processes of magnetic reconnection and their impact on the onset and evolution of flares and CMEs. We hope the scientific community will be interested and pick up the challenge. Clearly, modifications to the challenge are still possible based on the input from the community.