Solar wind spatial structure: The meaning of latitude gradients in observations averaged over solar longitude

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1978 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA083iA09p04186· OSTI ID:6568531

Hundhausen, A J

The three-dimensional structure of the solar wind is often studied by searching for solar latitude variations in observed physical properties that have been averaged over solar longitude. The effects of longitude averaging are examined here by using general qualitative arguments and quantitative calculations for a simple class of assumed spatial variations in the solar wind speed. We show that unless the solar wind spatial structure is simply organized about the solar equator, its presence is extremely difficult to infer from longitude averages unless the observations extend to very high solar latitudes. Thus the absence of semiannual variations in ecliptic observations or the absence of large latitude gradients in radio scintillation or comet tail results do not constitute evidence agaist the presence of strong spatial variations (or large spatial gradients) in the solar wind.

• Research Organization: High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado 80307
• OSTI ID: 6568531
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 83:A9
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
SOLAR WIND
VARIATIONS
EQUATOR
INHOMOGENEOUS FIELDS
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
LATITUDE EFFECT
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
SPATIAL DISTRIBUTION
DISTRIBUTION
GEOGRAPHICAL VARIATIONS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SPACE
640104* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Solar Phenomena