Structure of density fluctuations near the sun deduced from Pioneer-6 spectral broadening measurements

Journal Article · Wed Dec 01 00:00:00 EST 1976 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/154864· OSTI ID:7338081

Woo, R; Yang, F; Ishimaru, A

In this paper we present an analysis of the spectral broadening of monochromatic radio waves by density fluctuations near the Sun using the parabolic equation method. Application of the analysis to the 1968 Pioneer-6 spectral broadening observations yields indirect measurements of the density spectrum within 14 R/sub sun/ of the Sun. For spatial wavenumbers kappaapproximately-greater-than8.4 x 10/sup -3/ km/sup -1/, the three-dimensional density spectrum is found to be close to the Kolmogorov spectrum (power law with spectral index p=11/3) and is consistent with the IPS (interplanetary scintillations) and in situ spacecraft measurements farther from the Sun. The magnitude of the density spectrum increases but the shape of the density spectrum remains the same during the ''solar events'' marked by increases in the bandwidth. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
• OSTI ID: 7338081
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 210:2
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
PLASMA DENSITY
SOLAR RADIO BURSTS
LINE BROADENING
COHERENT RADIATION
PLASMA
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SCINTILLATION COUNTERS
SOLAR WIND
SPECTRA
TURBULENCE
WAVE PROPAGATION
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
MEASURING INSTRUMENTS
RADIATION DETECTORS
RADIATIONS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SPACE
640104* - Astrophysics & Cosmology- Solar Phenomena