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B.C. Low, M. Dikpati (HAO/NCAR*)
We present a family of analytic solutions describing the quiescent solar corona as magnetostatic equilibrium states in the presence of a 1/r2 gravity. These solutions assume no symmetry so that large-scale coronal magnetic structures may be modeled in realistic geometry. In particular, these solutions are capable of modeling multiple helmet-streamer belts associated with several magnetic polarity inversion lines at the base of the corona, with each streamer-belt sandwiched between coronal regions of open magnetic fields. The neglect of the solar wind limits the applicability of such models to the low solar corona. These solutions are useful as illustrative examples of the global magnetic field topologies expected in the solar corona, and, as initial states for three-dimensional, time-dependent magnetohydrodynamic numerical simulations as a means of developing coronal models that include the effect of the solar wind.
*The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.
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