Open AccessSources of the solar wind electron strahl in 1995
Author(s) -
Ogilvie K. W.,
Burlaga L. F.,
Chornay D. J.,
Fitzenreiter R. J.
Publication year - 1999
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/1999ja900294
Subject(s) - solar wind , physics , coronal hole , interplanetary magnetic field , astrophysics , astronomy , magnetopause , coronal mass ejection , magnetic field , quantum mechanics
The electron “strahl” is a narrow beam of electrons formed along the interplanetary magnetic field in the solar wind, associated with coronal holes. Observations of this feature, covering the energy range 10–1000 eV, are being made continuously by a specially designed part of the Solar Wind Experiment (SWE) instrument on the Wind spacecraft. During 1995, when corotating streams were regularly observed, the strahl flux was always observed to increase to a maximum following the stream interface marking the separation of the interacting flows. It was not seen before a stream interface, meaning that the strahl does not cross the stream interface. The strahl is associated with corotating streams and their sources rather than with the magnetic sectors. The source of the strahl observed by Wind was the southern coronal hole during the first half of the year and the northern coronal hole during the last half, as indicated by the polarity of the magnetic field.