Stationarity of magnetohydrodynamic fluctuations in the solar wind

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1982 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA087iA12p10347· OSTI ID:5988135

Matthaues, W H; Goldstein, M L

Solar wind research and studies of charged particle propagation often assume that the interplanetary magnetic field represents a stationary random process. In this paper we investigate the extend to which ensemble averages of the solar wind magnetic fields follow the asymptotic behavior predicted by the ergodic theorem. Several time periods, including a span of nearly two years, are analyzed. Data intervals that span many solar rotations are found to satisfy the conditions of ''weak'' stationarity if the effects of solar rotation are included in the asymptotic analysis. Shorter intervals, which include a small integral number of interplanetary sectors, also satisfy weak satisfy weak stationarity. The results are illustrated by using magnetometer data from the ISERE 3, Voyager and IMP spacecraft.

• Research Organization: Laboratory for Extraterrestrial Physics, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771
• OSTI ID: 5988135
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 87:A12; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
640107 -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CORRELATION FUNCTIONS
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ERGODIC HYPOTHESIS
FLUCTUATIONS
FUNCTIONS
HYPOTHESIS
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
SPACE
STOCHASTIC PROCESSES
VARIATIONS