Modeling Solar Irradiance Variability and the Ionospheric Response to Solar Flares

Abstract

We developed a model to synthesize irradiance from a detailed hydrodynamic model of a solar flare. The model was developed to accurately calculate the details of the solar chromosphere, which is characterized by non-local thermodynamic equilibrium, necessitating a radiative transfer calculation. A method to solve this efficiently was implemented, tested against other models, and validated against observations of the chromosphere with data taken by NASAs IRIS satellite. We developed a multi-threaded model of a solar flare, accounting for the time-varying geometry, large number of loop structures, and time varying energy release. The parameters of this model were derived using data from NOAAs GOES satellite to determine heating rates and volumes for flares. Using this global model, we synthesized X-ray spectra that are then validated against an X-ray spectrometer for a set of five observed flares. These synthetic spectra are being developed for delivery to ionospheric general circulation models to calculate the impact of extreme flares on the Earth.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 17, 2019
Accession Number
AD1089381

Entities

People

  • Harry P. Warren
  • Jeffrey W. Reep
  • Kalman Knizhnik
  • Nicholas A. Crump
  • Stephen J. Bradshaw

Organizations

  • United States Naval Research Laboratory

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Energy and Power Technologies
  • Sensors
  • Space

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Communication Systems
  • Electron Beams
  • Electrons
  • Equations
  • Ionization
  • Ionosphere
  • Magnetic Properties
  • Radiative Transfer
  • Radio Equipment
  • Soft X Rays
  • Solar Atmosphere
  • Solar Flares
  • Solar Physics
  • Space Sciences
  • Spectral Lines
  • X Ray Spectra
  • X Rays

Fields of Study

  • Physics

Readers

  • Computational Modeling and Simulation
  • Space/Atmospheric Physics.

Technology Areas

  • Space