Analytic Model of the Propagation of a Moreton Wave

M. Temmer$^1$, B. Vrsnak$^1$, T. Zic$^1$, A. Veronig$^2$

$^1$ Hvar Observatory, Faculty of Geodesy, Kaciceva 26, HR-10000 Zagreb, Croatia
$^2$Institute of Physics, University of Graz, Universitatsplatz 5, A-8010, Graz, Austria

For the X3.8 flare event from January 17, 2005, the propagation of a Moreton wave could be observed with high temporal resolution and over a large distance range. The corresponding coronal mass ejection was observed in GOES/SXI and SoHO/LASCO images which gives detailed measurements of the CME kinematics from its launch on. We present a simple analytic model for the kinematics of the Moreton wave applying the real observations as primary input parameter. By varying the secondary model parameters (attenuation, Alfven speed, CME expansion properties), we could not reproduce the observed Moreton wave which strongly indicates that the CME bow shock is not causing the Moreton wave. As alternative generation mechanisms synthetic kinematics is taken as primary input parameter. From this we find that the synthetic kinematics, which simulates either the lateral expansion of a CME, or the volume expansion of a flare, is more likely to generate the observed propagation of the Moreton wave.