Over-expansion of coronal mass ejections modelled using 3D MHD EUHFORIA simulations

0560526 - ÚFA 2023 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Verbeke, C. - Schmieder, B. - Démoulin, P. - Dasso, S. - Grison, Benjamin - Samara, E. - Scolini, C. - Poedts, S.
Over-expansion of coronal mass ejections modelled using 3D MHD EUHFORIA simulations.
Advances in Space Research. Roč. 70, č. 6 (2022), s. 1663-1683. ISSN 0273-1177. E-ISSN 1879-1948
R&D Projects: GA ČR(CZ) GA22-10775S
Institutional support: RVO:68378289
Keywords : Sun * coronal mass ejections * heliosphere * Solar-terrestrial relations * Solar wind * Magnetohydrodynamics
OECD category: Astronomy (including astrophysics,space science)
Impact factor: 2.6, year: 2022
Method of publishing: Open access
https://hal-obspm.ccsd.cnrs.fr/obspm-03905452/document

Context: Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) are large-scale eruptions observed close to the Sun. They travel through the heliosphere and possibly interact with the Earth environment, creating interruptions or even damaging new-technology instruments. Most of the time their physical conditions (velocity, density and pressure) are measured in situ at only one point in space, with no possibility of having information on the variation of these parameters during their journey from the Sun to Earth.
Aim: Our aim is to understand the evolution of the internal physical parameters of a set of three particular fast halo CMEs. These CMEs were launched between 15 and 18 July 2002. Surprisingly, the related interplanetary CMEs (ICMEs), observed near Earth, have a low, and in one case a very low, plasma density.
Method: We use the EUropean Heliospheric FORecasting Information Asset (EUHFORIA) model to simulate the propagation of the CMEs in the background solar wind by placing virtual spacecraft along the Sun-Earth line. We set up the initial conditions at 0.1 au, first with a cone model and then with a linear force-free spheromak model.
Results: Relatively good agreement between the simulation results and observations concerning the speed, density and arrival times of the ICMEs is obtained by adjustment of the initial CME parameters. In particular, this is achieved by increasing the initial magnetic pressure so that a fast expansion is induced in the inner heliosphere. This resulted in the development of fast expansion for two of the three ICMEs. In contrast, the intermediate ICME is strongly overtaken by the last ICME, so its expansion is strongly limited.
Permanent Link: https://hdl.handle.net/11104/0333889