THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL MORPHOLOGY OF A COROTATING INTERACTION REGION IN THE INNER HELIOSPHERE

Journal Article · Sun Jan 10 04:00:00 EST 2010 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/708/2/L89; COUNTRY OF INPUT: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA)· OSTI ID:21301417

Wood, B E; Howard, R A; Thernisien, A

In its three years of operation, the HI2 imagers on the two Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft have imaged many corotating interaction regions (CIRs) in the interplanetary medium, allowing the study of their three-dimensional (3D) morphology. Using an entirely empirical analysis technique, we construct a 3D model of one CIR, which is able to reproduce the general appearance and evolution of the CIR in HI2 images. The model CIR is also consistent with in situ data. Its curvature is compatible with the observed speed of the slow wind that is acting as the barrier for the fast wind piling up against it, and the width of the model CIR is consistent with the duration of the observed density pulse. Perpendicular to the equatorial plane, the model CIR has a parabolic shape that maps beautifully back to a bifurcated streamer observed at the Sun, which surrounds a coronal hole. This implies that this particular CIR is due to fast wind emanating from low latitudes that is impinging against slow wind in overlying streamers.

• OSTI ID: 21301417
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters Journal Issue: 2 Vol. 708; ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
HELIOSPHERE
IMAGES
MORPHOLOGY
SOLAR WIND
SUN