Software Framework for Sun-Earth Space Environment Modeling

A physics-based software framework for Sun-Earth connection modeling

G. Toth, O. Volberg, A.J. Ridley, T.I. Gombosi, D. DeZeeuw, K.C. Hanson, D.R. Chesney, Q.F. Stout, K.G. Powell, K. Kane, R. Oehmke

Center for Space Environment Modeling
University of Michigan

Abstract: The Space Weather Modeling Framework (SWMF) has been developed to provide NASA and the space environment modeling community a high-performance toolkit with plug-and-play capabilities to model the physics from the surface of the Sun to the upper atmosphere of the Earth. The prototype includes physics modules for the inner heliosphere, global magnetosphere, inner magnetosphere, ionospere electrodynamics, and upper atmosphere. In its fully developed form it will include modules for the radiation belt, solar energetic particles, and addition physics.

The SWMF is a structured collection of software building blocks to develop components for Sun-Earth modeling, to couple them, and to assemble them into applications. We discuss the SWMF architecture, physics and implementation of coupling, and results of some preliminary simulations.

Keywords: software framework, software engineering, space environment modeling, multi-scale coupled modeling, parallel computing, high-performance computing

Complete paper. This paper appeared in Multiscale Coupling of Sun-Earth Processes, Proc. Conf. on the Sun-Earth Connection, Kona, Hawaii, 2004, A. T. Y. Lui, Y. Kamide, and G. Consolini, eds., Elsevier, 383-397.

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