Authors: C.J. Schrijver, A. Sandman, M.L. DeRosa, M.J. Aschwanden
Affiliation: Lockheed Martin, Advanced Technology Center
The dependence of coronal heating on the magnetic field within the corona determines both the appearance of the corona as viewed by different instruments and the global spectral irradiance. In this preliminary study, we simulate the appearance of the solar corona as viewed by SOHO/EIT and by YOHKOH/SXT, based on observed photospheric magnetic fields and a potential-field source-surface model. We explore different parameterizations in search for a best case that results in realistic coronal images while consistent with the overall thermal structure of the corona. Our findings constrain models for coronal heating as well as for the solar spectral irradiance in the EUV and in X-rays for quiescent solar conditions, and can be used to forecast the spectral irradiance.