Latitudinal distribution of the solar wind properties in the low- and high-pressure regimes: Wind observations

oleh: C. Lacombe, C. Lacombe, C. Lacombe, C. Salem, A. Mangeney, J.-L. Steinberg, M. Maksimovic, M. Maksimovic, J. M. Bosqued

Format: Article
Diterbitkan: Copernicus Publications 2000-08-01

Deskripsi

The solar wind properties depend on &#x03BB;, the heliomagnetic latitude with respect to the heliospheric current sheet (HCS), more than on the heliographic latitude. We analyse the wind properties observed by Wind at 1 AU during about 2.5 solar rotations in 1995, a period close to the last minimum of solar activity. To determine &#x03BB;, we use a model of the HCS which we fit to the magnetic sector boundary crossings observed by Wind. We find that the solar wind properties mainly depend on the modulus |&#x03BB;|. But they also depend on a local parameter, the total pressure (magnetic pressure plus electron and proton thermal pressure). Furthermore, whatever the total pressure, we observe that the plasma properties also depend on the time: the latitudinal gradients of the wind speed and of the proton temperature are not the same before and after the closest HCS crossing. This is a consequence of the dynamical stream interactions. In the low pressure wind, at low |&#x03BB;|, we find a clear maximum of the density, a clear minimum of the wind speed and of the proton temperature, a weak minimum of the average magnetic field strength, a weak maximum of the average thermal pressure, and a weak maximum of the average &#x03B2; factor. This overdense sheet is embedded in a density halo. The latitudinal thickness is about 5<sup>°</sup> for the overdense sheet, and 20<sup>°</sup> for the density halo. The HCS is thus wrapped in an overdense sheet surrounded by a halo, even in the non-compressed solar wind. In the high-pressure wind, the plasma properties are less well ordered as functions of the latitude than in the low-pressure wind; the minimum of the average speed is seen before the HCS crossing. The latitudinal thickness of the high-pressure region is about 20<sup>°</sup>. Our observations are qualitatively consistent with the numerical model of Pizzo for the deformation of the heliospheric current sheet and plasma sheet.<br><br><b>Key words: </b>Interplanetary physics (solar wind plasma)