Comparing the Performance of a Solar Wind model from the Sun to 1 AU using Real and Synthetic Magnetograms

We perform a quantitative study which compares the results of the Alfven Wave Solar Atmosphere Model (AWSoM) within the Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF). For selected Carrington Rotations, we drive the model by two different solar magnetogram inputs, the observed magnetogram, and a synthetic magnetogram produced by a dynamo model. We simulate the Solar Corona (SC) and the Inner Heliosphere (IH) domains using these SWMF modules. For each case, we compare the observed and simulated cases (real and synthetic magnetogram) using the model synthesized multi-wavelength EUV images. We also extract the simulation data from the IH domain along the earth trajectory to compare with OMNI observational data at 1 au. We initialize the model using the synoptic magnetogram (real magnetogram) and the surface fields maps produced by the dynamo model (synthetic magnetogram) for a set of Carrington rotations within the solar cycle 23 and 24. Our results help to quantify the ability of dynamo models to be used as input to solar wind models, and thus, provide predictions for the solar wind at 1AU.