Exploring current advancements, applications, limitations, and future aspects of modelling coronal mass ejections

Being one of the major drivers of space weather, coronal mass ejections (CMEs) have been in the spotlight of space physics research for many years. As a result, we now have a larger variety of analytical and numerical models at our disposal to describe CMEs as magnetised as well as non-magnetised structures. By applying these models to reconstruct past CME events, we can assess their performance and accuracy and whether they can be used for improving our forecasting capabilities. Such studies also help to identify all physical processes that are relevant to adequately describe CME evolution in the interplanetary space and avoid oversimplified model assumptions. But CME model applications do not stop there. Sculpting the interplanetary space, CMEs play a crucial role in particle transport both of solar and galactic origin. And current CME models can help not only to study the transport of solar energetic particles from a fundamental point of view but also offer the possibility to explain specific particle events observed by spaceborne instruments or ground-based detectors.

Despite such advancements, CME models suffer both from numerical and observational limitations. From artifacts introduced by numerical implementation schemes to difficulties in constraining observationally the numerous parameters involved in CME modelling, these issues introduce an element of uncertainty in our reconstructions. Of particular interest is the understanding of how observed parameters translate into model input. Especially when considering that the CME configurations we use have smooth, uniform, and often symmetric shapes during insertion which do not reflect the complex structures observed in remote sensing observations.

In this presentation, we will explore the state-of-the-art in CME modelling including current advancements in flux rope numerical implementation that has great potential in boosting CME studies. We will revisit how CME modelling contributed to a better understanding of the physical process that impact flux rope evolution and discuss some of the many applications of CME modelling in particle research. Finally, we address the limitations we are facing and the future needs and aspects of CME modelling.