Measurements of the direction of the solar wind using interplanetary scintillation

EISCAT observations of the interplanetary scintillation of a single source were made over an extended period of time, during which the orientation of the baselines between the two observing sites changed significantly. Assuming that maximum correlation between the scintillations observed at the two...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Annales Geophysicae
Main Authors: P. J. Moran, A. R. Breen, C. A. Varley, P. J. S. Williams, W. P. Wilkinson, J. Markkanen
Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 1998
Subjects:
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1007/s00585-998-1259-3
https://doaj.org/article/d2117ee3c0654feeb13d14ee5d0fbb16
Description
Summary:EISCAT observations of the interplanetary scintillation of a single source were made over an extended period of time, during which the orientation of the baselines between the two observing sites changed significantly. Assuming that maximum correlation between the scintillations observed at the two sites occurs when the projected baseline is parallel to the direction of plasma flow, this technique can be used to make a unique determination of the direction of the solar wind. In the past it has usually been assumed that the plasma flow is radial, but measurements of eleven sources using this technique have indicated conclusively that in at least six cases observed at mid or high heliocentric latitude there is a significant non-radial component directed in four cases towards the heliocentric equator and in two cases towards the pole. Key words. Solar physics · Astrophysics · Astronomy · Magnetic fields · Space plasma physics · Charged particle motion and acceleration