DC and Low‐Frequency Electric Field Measurements on the Parker Solar Probe

Abstract

AbstractThe Parker Solar Probe successfully makes electric field measurements over the frequency range of DC‐100 Hz, thanks to the remarkable symmetry of the antennas with respect to sunlight and the mostly radial magnetic field. Calibration of the electric field measurement is described. Sampled electric and magnetic field data are utilized to determine wave modes of whistlers and Alfven‐ion‐cyclotron waves. In the course of such determinations, the electric field effective antenna length was found to vary with frequency from ~1 m at low frequencies to essentially the antenna half‐geometric length of 3.5 m above 20 Hz. Properties of the low‐frequency electric field power as functions of frequency and radial distance are determined. There is a plateau in the electric field power spectrum above ~10 Hz, which is due to the power in waves exceeding the turbulent cascade power above that frequency. This wave power decreases by one to two orders of magnitude from 35 to 50 solar radii.