Site Map
Contacts
Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Twitter YouTube channel
Centro de Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto

Nonradial and nonpolytropic astrophysical outflows. VII. Fitting Ulysses solar wind data during minimum

C. Sauty, J. J. G. Lima, N. Iro, K. Tsinganos

Abstract
Exact axisymmetric analytical solutions of the governing MHD equations for magnetized and rotating outflows are applied to the solar wind during solar minimum as observed by ULYSSES. Using the spacecraft data, the latitudinal dependences of physical quantities such as the density, velocity, magnetic field and temperature are analytically described. The self-similar solutions are then compared to the global structure of the wind from one solar radius to 5 AU and beyond, including consistently the rotation of the outflow. The model makes it possible to describe the initial flaring of the magnetic dipolar structure, reproducing in a satisfactory way the observed profiles of the velocity, density and temperature with heliocentric distance. Finally, this model is in agreement with the conjecture that the solar wind should not be collimated at large distances, even close to its rotational axis.

Astronomy and Astrophysics
Volume 432, Page 687
March 2005

>> ADS

Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences

Institute of Astrophysics and Space Sciences (IA) is a new but long anticipated research infrastructure with a national dimension. It embodies a bold but feasible vision for the development of Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Sciences in Portugal, taking full advantage and fully realizing the potential created by the national membership of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the European Southern Observatory (ESO). IA resulted from the merging the two most prominent research units in the field in Portugal: the Centre for Astrophysics of the University of Porto (CAUP) and the Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics of the University of Lisbon (CAAUL). It currently hosts more than two-thirds of all active researchers working in Space Sciences in Portugal, and is responsible for an even greater fraction of the national productivity in international ISI journals in the area of Space Sciences. This is the scientific area with the highest relative impact factor (1.65 times above the international average) and the field with the highest average number of citations per article for Portugal.

Proceed on CAUP's website|Go to IA website