Semi-empirical 2D model of the solar corona and solar wind using solar eclipse images: Progress report

Abstract

AbstractWe present white light images of the Sun's corona acquired during the total Solar Eclipses on August 21, 2017 in mountains north of Boise Idaho USA and on July 2, 2019 south of Copiapo Chile. In both cases the viewing was excellent, altitudes ∼ 1200 m and relative humidity ∼ 10. We used an Orion equatorial reflecting telescope with 203 mm diameter aperture and 1000 mm focal length for f4.9 optics. A computer-controlled Canon EOS Rebel T3i digital camera was used. We plan to use our 2019 eclipse images for analysis since the Sun is near solar minimum so 2D steady state MHD equations can be used. We present a plan to process the images and convert them into a 2D empirical model of electron density and magnetic field in radial distance and co-latitude, from which 2D maps of flow velocity, effective temperature and effective heat flux can be computed.