Citation
Abstract
Of current interest is the value of, and possible variations in, the solar wind phase fluctuation spectral index. This article presents columnar spectral index information that has been extracted from a sizable volume of Voyager 1979 solar conjunction Doppler phase fluctuation data. The Voyager 1979 results, when compared to similar information derived from the 1976 Helios and Viking and 1978 Voyager solar conjunctions, lead to the following inferences: (1) there has been a significant change in the spectral index from 1976 to 1978/1979; (2) there is continuing evidence that favors a slight (positive) correlation between the spectral index and the solar (sunspot) cycle; (3) there is little or no evidence in support of a radial variation of the spectral index. Recently, it has been hypothesized that a flattening of the phase fluctuation spectrum occurs near the sun (S 20r ¢ ); these data are at a variance with such a hypothesis.
Details
- Volume
- 42-54
- Published
- December 15, 1979
- Pages
- 71–81
- File Size
- 653.8 KB