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Constraining Global Coronal Models with Multiple Independent ObservablesGlobal coronal models seek to produce an accurate physical representation of the Sun's atmosphere that can be used, for example, to drive space-weather models. Assessing their accuracy is a complex task, and there are multiple observational pathways to provide constraints and tune model parameters. Here, we combine several such independent constraints, defining a model-agnostic framework for standardized comparison. We require models to predict the distribution of coronal holes at the photosphere, and neutral line topology at the model's outer boundary. We compare these predictions to extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) observations of coronal hole locations, white-light Carrington maps of the streamer belt, and the magnetic sector structure measured in situ by Parker Solar Probe and 1 au spacecraft. We study these metrics for potential field source surface (PFSS) models as a function of source surface height and magnetogram choice, as well as comparing to the more physical Wang–Sheeley–Arge (WSA) and the Magnetohydrodynamic Algorithm outside a Sphere (MAS) models. We find that simultaneous optimization of PFSS models to all three metrics is not currently possible, implying a trade-off between the quality of representation of coronal holes and streamer belt topology. WSA and MAS results show the additional physics that they include address this by flattening the streamer belt while maintaining coronal hole sizes, with MAS also improving coronal hole representation relative to WSA. We conclude that this framework is highly useful for inter- and intra-model comparisons. Integral to the framework is the standardization of observables required of each model, evaluating different model aspects.
Document ID
20230001334
Acquisition Source
Goddard Space Flight Center
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
S. T. Badman ORCID
(University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, California, United States)
David H. Brooks ORCID
(George Mason University Fairfax, Virginia, United States)
Nicolas Poirier ORCID
(Paul Sabatier University Toulouse, France)
Harry P. Warren ORCID
(United States Naval Research Laboratory Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States)
Gordon Petrie ORCID
(National Solar Observatory Boulder, Colorado, United States)
Alexis P. Rouillard ORCID
(Paul Sabatier University Toulouse, France)
C. Nick Arge ORCID
(Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt, Maryland, United States)
Stuart D. Bale ORCID
(University of California, Berkeley Berkeley, California, United States)
Diego de Pablos Agüero ORCID
(University College London London, United Kingdom)
Louise Harra ORCID
(Physikalisch-Meteorologisches Observatorium Davos– World Radiation Center Davos, Switzerland)
Shaela I. Jones ORCID
(Catholic University of America Washington D.C., District of Columbia, United States)
Athanasios Kouloumvakos ORCID
(Institute de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planetologie)
Pete Riley ORCID
(Predictive Science (United States) San Diego, California, United States)
Olga Panasenco ORCID
(Advanced Heliophysics Pasadena, California, United States)
Marco Velli ORCID
(University of California, Los Angeles Los Angeles, California, United States)
Samantha Wallace ORCID
(Adnet Systems (United States) Bethesda, Maryland, United States)
Date Acquired
January 26, 2023
Publication Date
June 27, 2022
Publication Information
Publication: Astrophysical Journal
Publisher: American Astronomical Society / IOP Publishing
Volume: 932
Issue: 2
Issue Publication Date: June 20, 2022
ISSN: 0004-637X
e-ISSN: 1538-4357
Subject Category
Astrophysics
Solar Physics
Funding Number(s)
WBS: 955518.02.05.01.10.01
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80NSSC21M0180
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80HQTR21CA005
CONTRACT_GRANT: SPEC5732
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNN06AA01C
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80NSSC18K1201
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80NSSC18K0100
CONTRACT_GRANT: NNX16AG86G
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80NSSC18K1129
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80NSSC18K0101
CONTRACT_GRANT: 80NSSC20K1285
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Portions of document may include copyright protected material.
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