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The solar corona extends outward from the Sun into interplanetary space as the solar wind. Important aspects of heliospheric structure, such as the position and shape of the heliospheric current sheet and the regions of fast and slow wind, are defined by coronal structures. The structure of the solar corona is determined by the outward extension of the Sun's magnetic field. While there are few measurements of the magnetic fields in the corona, the Sun's magnetic field has been measured in the photosphere for many years. To understand the large-scale structure of the solar corona and inner heliosphere, it is necessary to accurately map the photospheric magnetic field into the corona and beyond. We are interested in the large-scale and long-wavelength interaction of the plasma and magnetic fields, so the phenomena of interest are well described by the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations. Self-consistent MHD solutions of the corona have typically been confined to idealized situations, suitable for many theoretical purposes but incapable of direct comparisons with actual data. The goal of our research is to bring MHD computations to a new level, where they can not only be used in theoretical studies but as a tool for the analysis of solar and heliospheric data.
White-light eclipse and coronagraph images of the Sun reveal the complex structure of the Sun's outer atmosphere, the solar corona. The structures observed are produced by the interaction of the solar wind with the coronal magnetic field. Coronal modeling allow us to realistically simulate this interaction. Specific examples of our calculations and comparisons of our results with coronal data are shown below.
Description of the MAS MHD Model
Eclipse Predictions and Comparisons:
The April 8, 2024 Solar Eclipse
The December 4, 2021 Solar Eclipse
The December 14, 2020 Solar Eclipse
The July 2, 2019 Solar Eclipse
The August 21, 2017 Solar Eclipse
The November 13, 2012 Solar Eclipse
The July 11, 2010 Solar Eclipse
The July 22, 2009 Solar Eclipse
The August 1, 2008 Solar Eclipse
The March 29, 2006 Solar Eclipse
The December 4, 2002 Solar Eclipse
The June 21, 2001 Solar Eclipse
The August 11, 1999 Solar Eclipse
The February 26, 1998 Solar Eclipse
The March 9, 1997 Solar Eclipse
