EUHFORIA: European heliospheric forecasting information asset

TLDR

EUHFORIA comprises a coronal model and a heliosphere model that includes coronal mass ejections. The study presents the implementation, first results, and future directions of EUHFORIA, including an initial validation run. EUHFORIA derives solar wind parameters at 0.1 AU from a magnetic‑field‑based coronal model, then drives a 3‑D MHD heliosphere simulation to 2 AU, injecting CMEs via a cone model calibrated to imaging observations. The model reproduces a highly dynamic heliosphere that matches in‑situ observations well.

Abstract

The implementation and first results of the new space weather forecasting-targeted inner heliosphere model “European heliospheric forecasting information asset” (EUHFORIA) are presented. EUHFORIA consists of two major components: a coronal model and a heliosphere model including coronal mass ejections. The coronal model provides data-driven solar wind plasma parameters at 0.1 AU by constructing a magnetic field model of the coronal large-scale magnetic field and employing empirical relations to determine the plasma state such as the solar wind speed and mass density. These are then used as boundary conditions to drive a three-dimensional time-dependent magnetohydrodynamics model of the inner heliosphere up to 2 AU. CMEs are injected into the ambient solar wind modeled using the cone model, with their parameters obtained from fits to imaging observations. In addition to detailing the modeling methodology, an initial validation run is presented. The results feature a highly dynamic heliosphere that the model is able to capture in good agreement with in situ observations. Finally, future horizons for the model are outlined.