Numerical simulations of the quiet chromosphere

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent advances and ongoing challenges in simulating the solar chromosphere, highlighting discrepancies between models and observations, and discussing necessary physics to improve simulation realism.

Contribution

It identifies key deficiencies in current chromospheric models and suggests physics that should be incorporated to better reproduce observed structures.

Findings

Models do not reproduce fibrils in Ca II 8542

Simulated H-alpha line core shows granulation instead of shocks or fibrils

Current simulations lack certain observed chromospheric features

Abstract

Numerical simulations of the solar chromosphere have become increasingly realistic over the past 5 years. However, many observed chromospheric structures and behavior are not reproduced. Current models do not show fibrils in Ca II 8542, and neither reproduce the Ca II 8542 bisector. The emergent H-alpha line core intensity computed from the models show granulation instead of chromospheric shocks or fibrils. I discuss these deficiencies and speculate about what physics should be included to alleviate these shortcomings.