How The Solar Wind Ties To Its Photospheric Origins

Details How The Solar Wind Ties To Its Photospheric Origins How The Solar Wind Ties To Its Photospheric Origins

2009-04-03

arxiv.org/abs/0904.0614v1

Astrophys.J.697:L28-L32,2009

Astronomy and Astrophysics

Astrophysics

Solar and Stellar Astrophysics

12 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication by ApJ Letters

Scientific paper

10.1088/0004-637X/697/1/L28

We present a new method of visualizing the solar photospheric magnetic field based on the "Magnetic Range of Influence" (MRoI). The MRoI is a simple realization of the magnetic environment in the photosphere, reflecting the distance required to balance the integrated magnetic field contained in any magnetogram pixel. It provides a new perspective on where sub-terrestrial field lines in a Potential Field Source Surface (PFSS) model connect to the photosphere, and thus the source of Earth-directed solar wind (within the limitations of PFSS models), something that is not usually obvious from a regular synoptic magnetogram. In each of three sample solar rotations, at different phases of the solar cycle, the PFSS footpoint either jumps between isolated areas of high MRoI or moves slowly within one such area. Footpoint motions are consistent with Fisk's interchange reconnection model.

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