Short-term variability of solar wind number density, speed and dynamic pressure as a function of the interplanetary magnetic field components: A survey over two solar cycles

Journal Article · Mon Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i011p01825· OSTI ID:5393336

Bowe, G A; Hapgood, M A; Lockwood, M; Willis, D M ^[1]

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1. Rutherford Appleton Lab., Chilton (England)

The variability of hourly values of solar wind number density, number density variation, speed, speed variation and dynamic pressure with IMF B{sub z} and magnitude {vert bar}B{vert bar} has been examined for the period 1965-1986. The authors wish to draw attention to a strong correlation in number density and number density fluctuation with IMF B{sub z} characterized by a symmetric increasing trend in these quantities away from B{sub z} = O nT. The fluctuation level in solar wind speed is found to be relatively independent of B{sub z}. They infer that number density and number density variability dominate in controlling solar wind dynamic pressure and dynamic pressure variability. It is also found that dynamic pressure is correlated with each component of IMF and that there is evidence of morphological differences between the variation with each component. Finally, they examine the variation of number density, speed, dynamic pressure and fluctuation level in number density and speed with IMF magnitude {vert bar}B{vert bar}. Again they find that number density variation dominates over solar wind speed in controlling dynamic pressure.

• OSTI ID: 5393336
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 17:11; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CORRELATIONS
DATA ANALYSIS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
ION DENSITY
IONOSPHERE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
MORPHOLOGY
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PRESSURE EFFECTS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
SYMMETRY
VARIATIONS
VELOCITY