Objectives

The general aim of this project is to reveal the `physics of the solar drivers of Space Weather', i.e. to investigate the basic physical processes of solar origin that determine Space Weather. This will contribute to the development of a science based scheme for Space Weather predictions that should be more reliable than the present `empirical' predictions.

Specific goals of the present project are:

1.

The observational study and modeling of the fast and slow `quiet' solar wind, including the development of 3D global MHD models of the solar wind from the base of the corona up to 5 AU, and study of the basic physical processes of heating and acceleration using gyrotropic and higher-order moment (magneto-)hydrodynamic equations.

2.

The disclosure of CME initiation, i.e. to reveal the triggering mechanism of CMEs and their structure through observation and simulation.

3.

The observation and modeling of CME propagation, i.e. to understand how the CME structure (core, cavity, and leading shock front) evolves during its propagation through the solar wind and, in particular, through the critical points in the wind. Special points of interest are the development of complex shock interactions, the way in which the magnetic field orientation is transported, the acceleration or deceleration of CMEs to the speed of the ambient solar wind, and the time of arrival at the Earth's magnetosphere.

4.

The understanding through observation and simulation of the interaction of CMEs / magnetic clouds with the magnetosphere, i.e. to reveal how the geo-effective properties of magnetic clouds depend on the properties of the initial coronal structures and how these affect the bow shock location and the magnetosheath flow and magnetic topology. Special attention will be given to the possible formation of secondary slow shock structures behind the bow shock depending on the solar wind parameters.

5.

The final goal of the project is to integrate the different subproblems into global MHD simulations of the dynamic solar wind from its origin in the low solar corona up to its interaction with the outer magnetosphere. These simulations will be based on and confronted with observed events for which multi-spacecraft observations are available. In this way the predictive capabilities of such global MHD simulation models will be evaluated and discrepancies will be identified.