HR: 09:43h
AN: SH21D-06    [Abstracts]
TI: Modeling of CME Visibility for the STEREO Mission
AU: * Howard, R A
EM: russ.howard@nrl.navy.mil
AF: Naval Research Laboratory, E.O. Hulburt Center for Space Research, Washington, DC 20375 United States
AU: Patel, N S
EM: patel@nrl.navy.mil
AF: Naval Research Laboratory, E.O. Hulburt Center for Space Research, Washington, DC 20375 United States
AU: Thernisien, A
EM: thernisien@nrl.navy.mil
AF: Naval Research Laboratory, E.O. Hulburt Center for Space Research, Washington, DC 20375 United States
AU: Marque, C
EM: marque@nrl.navy.mil
AF: Universities Space Research Association, 1101 17th St. NW, Suite 1004,, Washington, DC 20036 United States
AU: Vourlidas, A
EM: vourlidas@nrl.navy.mil
AF: Naval Research Laboratory, E.O. Hulburt Center for Space Research, Washington, DC 20375 United States
AB: One of the objectives of the STEREO mission is to determine the three-dimensional configuration of CMEs. The STEREO mission consists of two identical spacecraft, one leading Earth and the other trailing Earth, which will separate from each other at the rate of about 45 degrees per year. To understand the visibility of CMEs and the ability to discern the 3D structure, we have been developing a "forward modeling" capability (RAYTRACE) described in another paper at this meeting. This capability complements the inversion technique we have also been developing. Using RAYTRACE we may compute synthetic total and polarized brightness images using the Thomson scattering formulae from an assumed electron density model. Several (geometric) models of a CME have been defined - loop, spherical shell, cylindrical shell and a graduated cylindrical shell (GCS). Since the GCS model is a reasonable simulation of a flux-rope CME, we have used it to investigate the appearance of a CME as a function of STEREO separation angle. In this model the angular size in the two directions, the height of the leading edge, the orientation of the structure in the corona and the radial electron density distribution can be specified. We present the results of this study and compare the simulations with observed CMEs from LASCO.
DE: 7513 Coronal mass ejections
SC: SPA-Solar and Heliospheric Physics [SH]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting