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prediction of the solar corona at the total solar eclipse on August 01, 2008

To predict the structures of the solar corona at the total solar eclipse on August 1, 2008, we conducted MHD simulations to obtain the (quasi-)steady state of the trans-Alfvenic solar corona using the solar photospheric magnetic field data as the boundary values. The obtained coronal structures will fully match the known surface conditions, thus be the most likely ones visible at the eclipse. The daily-updated polar-corrected SOHO/MDI data is used, and this dataset is also used in our daily MHD simulations.
For the simulations shown in this page, the data made on July 19 (5678th MDI day) was used.

High-resolution simulation
Initial potential magnetic field was calculated by a numerical (iterative) Laplace solver; Angular resolution of magnetic field ∼ 2 arc deg.
Angular resolution of simulation grid = π/128.
Typically it took a week to complete the time-relaxation MHD simulation of the trans-Alfvenic solar corona and solar wind.
total solar eclipse 2008
surface : open/closed
top/bot. : north/south of sky		 total solar eclipse 2008
surface : Br (red:-,blue:+)
top/bot. : solar north/south

Medium-resolution simulation
Initial potential magnetic field given as spherical harmonics polynomial with Nmax = 5.
Angular resolution of simulation grid = π/64.
total solar eclipse 2008
surface : open/closed
top/bot. : north/south of sky		 total solar eclipse 2008
surface : Br (red:-,blue:+)
top/bot. : solar north/south

Low-resolution simulation
Initial potential magnetic field given as spherical harmonics polynomial with Nmax = 5.
Angular resolution of simulation grid = π/32 (same as in daily MHD simulations).
total solar eclipse 2008
surface : open/closed
top/bot. : north/south of sky		 total solar eclipse 2008
surface : Br (red:-,blue:+)
top/bot. : solar north/south


Last modified: July 29 (text/html), July 27 (simulation / plots and figures)