Application of a MHD hybrid solar wind model with latitudinal dependences to ULYSSES data at minimum

A. Aibéo, J. J. G. Lima, C. Sauty

Abstract

Aims. In a previous work, Ulysses data was analyzed to build a complete axisymmetric MHD solution for the solar wind at minimum including rotation and the initial flaring of the solar wind in the low corona. This model has some problems in reproducing the values of magnetic field at 1 AU despite the correct values of the velocity. Here, we intend to extend the previous analysis to another type of solutions and to improve our modelling of the wind from the solar surface to 1 AU.
Methods. We compare the previous results to those obtained with a fully helicoidal model and construct a hybrid model combining both previous solutions, keeping the flexibility of the parent models in the appropriate domain. From the solar surface to the Alfvén point, a three component solution for velocity and magnetic field is used, reproducing the complex wind geometry and the well-known flaring of the field lines observed in coronal holes. From the Alfvén radius to 1 AU and further, the hybrid model keeps the latitudinal dependences as flexible as possible, in order to deal with the sharp variations near the equator and we use the helicoidal solution, turning the poloidal streamlines into radial ones.
Results. Despite the absence of the initial flaring, the helicoidal model and the first hybrid solution suffer from the same low values of the magnetic field at 1 AU. However, by adjusting the parameters with a second hybrid solution, we are able to reproduce both the velocity and magnetic profiles observed by Ulysses and a reasonable description of the low corona, provided that a certain amount of energy deposit exists along the flow.
Conclusions. The present paper shows that analytical axisymmetric solutions can be constructed to reproduce the solar structure and dynamics from 1 solar radius up to 1 AU.

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume 461, Page 685
January 2007

DOI: 10.1051/0004-6361:20065123