Solar Magnetic Eruption Disturbances

Solar Magnetic Eruptions (SME), such as Coronal Mass Ejections and Solar
Flares, and their impact on Earth's space environment are the target of this
Space Weather research.Solar Magnetic Eruptions (SME) may cause the ejection of
magnetized gas into interplanetary space. These eruptions, known as Coronal
Mass Ejections (CMEs), may generate interplanetary transient disturbances
involving shocks and magnetic clouds. If these disturbances encounter the
Earth's magnetic field they can cause geomagnetic storms (observed as polar
auroras). In severe cases these storms can damage technological systems like
satellites, communications and navigation systems, power lines, as well as pose
danger to astronauts.

Although CMEs are quite frequent (one or two a day during periods of solar
maximum activity), only fraction of them hit the Earth's magnetosphere and
cause geomagnetic storms. Severe storms occur with a frequency of about 100
times over the 11-year cycle of solar activity. Extremely severe storms occur
about 4 times during this period. As humans depend more and more on advanced
technological systems, and as they expand into the space environment, the
knowledge of "space weather" becomes more important. Numerical modeling
represents an important tool for understanding and eventually forecasting space
weather.

The results of this study were obtained from a numerical simulation using a 3D
magneto hydrodynamic (MHD) heliospheric model that describes the solar wind
density, temperature, magnetic field components and velocity components. The
MHD model is driven by a solar eruption simulated using a coronal model
developed by the Science Application International Company (SAIC). The
heliospheric computations are carried out on a spherical grid, with the Sun
located at the center, ranging from 20 to 270 solar radii.