Coronal roots of solar wind streams: 3-D MHD modeling

Weak (discontinuous) solutions of the 3-D MHD equations look like a promising tool to model the transonic solar wind with structural elements: current sheets, coronal plumes etc. Using the observational information about various coronal emissions one can include these structural elements into the 3-D MHD solar wind model by embedding the discontinuities of given type. Such 3-D MHD structured solar wind is calculated self-consistently: variants are examined via numerical experiments. In particular, the behavior of coronal plumes in the transonic solar wind flow, is modeled. The input information for numerical modeling (for example, the magnetic field map at the very base of the solar corona) can be adjusted so that fast stream arises over the center of the coronal hole, over the coronal hole boundaries and, even, over the region with closed magnetic topology. 3-D MHD equations have the analytical solution which can serve as a model of supersonic trans-alfvenic solar wind in the (5-20) solar radii heliocentric distance interval. The transverse, nonradial total (gas + magnetic field) pressure balance in the flow is the corner-stone of this solution. The solution describes the filamentation (ray-like structure of the solar corona) and streaming (formation of high-speed streams with velocities up to 800 km/sec) as a consequence of the magnetic field spatial inhomogeneous structure and trans-alfvenic character of the flow. The magnetic field works in the model as a 'controller' for the solar wind streaming and filamentation.