Evolution of the solar wind acceleration region during 1990–1994

Abstract

The single-station measurements of interplanetary scintillation (IPS) at 2GHz and 8GHz using the Kashima radio telescope are used to study the distribution of the solar wind velocity and density fluctuations near the sun. Wind velocities derived from our IPS data with the IPS co-spectrum method show a radial increase in the distance range between 10 and 30 Rs (solar radii). From the scintillation index analysis, it is found that the radial fall of density fluctuations in the solar wind is described by the power-law function. A series of Kashima IPS observations reveals that a pronounced change in velocity and turbulence level occurs at the polar region of the sun during 1990–1994. That is, the high-speed wind and the reduced-turbulence region develop there as the solar activity declines. This fact is consistent with the long-term evolution of the coronal magnetic structure inferred from He1083nm observations.