Semi-Empirical 2-D MHD Model of the Solar corona and Solar Wind: Energy Flow in the Corona

Author： Sittler E. Guhathakurta M. Skoug R.

ISSN： 0038-6308

Source： Space Science Reviews, Vol.97, Iss.1-4, 2001-01, pp. : 39-44

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Abstract

We have developed a semi-empirical 2-D MHD model of the solar corona and solar wind for which the major data inputs are white light coronagraph data and plasma and magnetic field data from the Ulysses spacecraft. With regard to the white light coronagraph data we have used data from Spartan 201–05 to construct our empirical models of the electron density and magnetic field. We then use conservations laws of mass, momentum and energy to compute estimates of the flow velocity, effective temperature and effective heat flux as a function of radial distance and latitude. We will then compare our empirical model estimates with that of other theoretical models. An example, is the WKB contribution of Alfven waves to the effective temperature and effective heat flux. We have also investigated the importance of electron heat conduction in the context as past theoretical and empirical models and present a preliminary description of a semi-empirical model of electron heat conduction.