Validation of a synoptic solar wind model

Abstract

We present a validation of a three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic model for the solar corona and the inner heliosphere. We compare the results of the model with long-term satellite data at 1 AU for a 1 year period during solar minimum and another year period of solar maximum. Overall, the model predicts rather well the magnitude of the magnetohydrodynamical variables for solar minimum conditions. For solar maximum conditions, the magnitude of the magnetic field predicted by the model is too low. This result is consistent with the assumption that during solar maximum, a significant portion of the heliospheric open magnetic flux is not captured by the magnetogram input and the potential field approximation. Copyright 2008 by the American Geophysical Union.