Abstract
The ESA/NASA spacecraft Ulysses is making, for the first time, direct measurements in the solar wind originating from virtually all places where the corona expands. Since the initial two polar passes of Ulysses occur during relatively quiet solar conditions, we discuss here the three main regimes of quasi-stationary solar wind flow: the high speed streams (HSSTs) coming out of the polar coronal holes, the slow solar wind surrounding the HSSTs, and the streamers which occur at B-field reversals. Comparisons between H-α maps and data taken by Ulysses demonstrate that as a result of super-radial expansion, the HSSTs occupy a much larger solid angle than that derived from radial projections of coronal holes. Data obtained with SWICS-Ulysses confirm that the strength of the FIP effect is much reduced in the HSSTs. The systematics in the variations of elemental abundances becomes particularly clear, if these are plotted against the time of ionisation (at the solar surface) rather than against the first ionisation potential (FIP). We have used a superposed-epoch method to investigate the changes in solar wind speed and composition measured during the 9-month period in 1992/93 when Ulysses regularly passed into and out of the southern HSST. We find that the patterns in the variations of the Mg/O and O7+/O6+ ratios are virtually identical and that their transition from high to low values is very steep. Since the Mg/O ratio is controlled by the FIP effect and the O7+/O6+ ratio reflects the coronal temperature, this finding points to a connection between chromospheric and coronal conditions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bame, S.J., Asbridge J.R., Feldman W.C., and Gosling J.T.: 1977,J. Geophys. Res. 82, 1487
Bame, S.J., et al.: 1992,Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. Ser. 92, 237
Bochsler, P. and Geiss, J.: 1989, in J.H. Waite Jr., ed(s).,Solar System Plasma Physics, Geophysical Monograph 54, 133
Borrini, G., Gosling, J.T., Bame, S.J., Feldman, W.C., and Wilcox, J.M.: 1981,J. Geophys. Res. 86, 4565
Bürgi, A.: 1992, in E. Marsch and R. Schwenn, ed(s).,Solar Wind Seven, Pergamon Press: Oxford, 333
Bürgi, A. and Geiss, J.: 1986,Solar Physics 103, 143
Galvin, A.B., et al.: 1987,J. Geophys. Res. 92, 12069
Galvin, A.B., Ipavich, F.M., Gloeckler, G., von Steiger, R., and Wilken, B.: 1992, in E. Marsch and R. Schwenn, ed(s).,Solar Wind Seven, Pergamon Press: Oxford, 337
Galvin, A.B., Gloeckler, G., Ipavich, F.M., Shafer, C.M., Geiss, J., and Ogilvie, K.W.: 1993,Adv. Space Res. 13, (6)75
Garrard, T.L. and Stone, E.C.: 1993, inProc. 23. Int. Cosmic Ray Conf.
Geiss, J.: 1982,Space Sci. Rev. 33, 201
Geiss, J.: 1985, inFuture Missions in Solar, Heliospheric and Space Plasma Physics, ESA SP-235, 37
Geiss, J., Hirt, P., and Leutwyler, H.: 1970,Solar Physics 12, 458
Geiss, J., and Bochsler, P.: 1985, inRapports isotopiques dans le système solaire, Cepadueseditions: Toulouse, 213
Geiss, J., Gloeckler, G., and von Steiger, R.: 1994, inProc. Royal Society Symp. on the Solar System, London, in press
Geiss, J., and Bochsler, P.: 1986, in R.G. Marsden, ed(s).,The Sun and the Heliosphere in Three Dimensions, Reidel: Dordrecht, 173
Gloeckler, G., Ipavich, F.M., Hamilton, D.C., Wilken, B. and Kremser, G.: 1989,EOS Trans. AGU 70, 424
Gloeckler, G., and Geiss, J.: 1989, in C.J. Waddington, ed(s).,Proc. Cosmic Abundances of Matter Symp. AIP Conf. Proc.183, 71
Gloeckler, G. et al.: 1992,Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. Ser. 92, 267
Hirshberg, J., Asbridge, J.R., and Robbins, D.E.: 1972,J. Geophys. Res 77, 3583
Hollweg, J.V.: 1974,J. Geophys. Res. 79, 1539
Hollweg, J.V.: 1978,Rev. Geophys. Space Phys. 16, 689
Hundhausen, A.J.: 1972,Solar Wind and Coronal Expansion, Springer: New York
Ipavich, F.M., et al.: 1986,J. Geophys. Res. 91 4133
Ipavich, F.M., Galvin, A.B., Geiss, J., Ogilvie, K.W., and Gliem, F.: 1992, in E. Marsch and R. Schwenn, ed(s).Solar Wind Seven, Pergamon Press: Oxford, 369
Kopp, R.A., and Holzer, T.E.: 1976,Solar Phys 49, 43
Krieger, A.S., Timothy, A.F. and Roelof, E.C.: 1973,Solar Phys 29, 505
Meyer, J.P.: 1992, in N. Prantzos, E. Vangioni-Flam and M. Cassè, ed(s).,Origin and Evolution of the Elements, Cambridge University Press, 26
NOAA: 1992,Prelim. Report and Forecast of Solar Geophys. Data, NOAA: Boulder
Noci, G., and Porri, A.: 1983, inIAGA 18th Gen. Ass., Hamburg, paper 4L.04
Nolte, J.T., Krieger, A.S., Roelof, E.C., and Gold, R.E.: 1977,Solar Phys. 51, 459
Neugebauer, M.: 1981,Fundamentals of Cosmic Physics 7, 131
Ogilvie K.W., Coplan M.A. and Geiss J.: 1992, in E. Marsch and R. Schwenn, ed(s).,Solar Wind Seven, Pergamon Press: Oxford, 379
Parker, E.N.: 1960,Astrophys. J. 132, 821
Parker, E.N.: 1963,Interplanetary Dynamical Processes, Interscience: New York
Reames, D.V.: 1994,Adv. Space Res. 14, (4)177
Shafer, C.M., Gloeckler, G., Galvin, A.B., Ipavich, F.M., Geiss, J., von Steiger, R., and Ogilvie, K.W.: 1993,Adv. Space Res. 13, (6)79
Schmid, J., Bochsler, P., and Geiss, J.: 1988,Astrophys. J. 122, 181
Schwenn, R., and Marsch, E. (eds.): 1990,Physics of the Inner Heliosphere, Springer: Heidelberg
von Steiger, R., Christon, S.P., Gloeckler, G., and Ipavich, F.M.: 1992,Astrophys. J. 389, 791
von Steiger, R., and Geiss, J.: 1989,Astron. and Astrophys. 225, 222
von Steiger, R., and Geiss, J.: 1993,Adv. Space Res. 13, (6)63
von Steiger, R., and Geiss, J.: 1994, in J.R. Jokipii, C.P. Sonnett, and M.S. Giampapa, ed(s).,Cosmic Winds and the Heliosphere, University of Arizona Press: Tucson, in press
Wang, A.H., Wu, S.T., Suess, S.T., and Poletto, G.: 1993,Solar Phys. 147, 55
Wieler, R., Baur, H., and Signer, P.: 1993,Proc. Lunar and Planet. Sci. 24, 1519
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Geiss, J., Gloeckler, G. & Von Steiger, R. Origin of the solar wind from composition data. Space Sci Rev 72, 49–60 (1995). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00768753
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00768753