Abstract
Previous studies of the source regions of solar wind sampled by ACE and Ulysses showed that some solar wind originates from open magnetic flux rooted in active regions. These solar wind sources were labeled active-region sources when the open flux was from a strong field region with no corresponding coronal hole in the NSO He 10830 Å synoptic coronal-hole maps. Here, we present a detailed investigation of several of these active-region sources using ACE and Ulysses solar wind data, potential field models of the corona, and solar imaging data. We find that the solar wind from these active-region sources has distinct signatures, e.g., it generally has a higher oxygen charge state than wind associated with helium-10830 Å coronal-hole sources, indicating a hotter source region, consistent with the active region source interpretation. We compare the magnetic topology of the open field lines of these active-region sources with images of the hot corona to search for corresponding features in EUV and soft X-ray images. In most, but not all, cases, a dark area is seen in the EUV and soft X-ray image as for familiar coronal-hole sources. However, in one case no dark area was evident in the soft X-ray images: the magnetic model showed a double dipole coronal structure consistent with the images, both indicating that the footpoints of the open field lines, rooted deep within the active region, lay near the separatrix between loops connecting to two different opposite polarity regions.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arge, C. N., Harvey, K. L., Hudson, H. S., and Kahler, S. W.: 2003, in M. Velli, R. Bruno, and F. Malara, (eds.), Solar Wind Ten: Proceedings of the Tenth Intl. Solar Wind Conference, AIP, NY, p. 202.
Feldman, U., Widing, K. G., and Warren, H. P.: 1999, Astrophys. J. 522, 1133.
Fisk, L. A.: 2003, J. Geophys. Res. 108, 1157.
Geiss, J., Gloeckler, G., and von Steiger, R.: 1995, Space Sci. Rev. 72, 49.
Geiss, J., Gloeckler, G., von Steiger, R., Balsiger, H., Fisk, L. A., Galvin, A. B., Ipavich, F. M., Livi, S., McKenzie, J. F., Ogilvie, K. W., and Wilken, B.: 1995, Science 268, 1033.
Hefti, S., Grunwaldt, H., Bochsler, P., and Aelig, M. R.: 2000, J. Geophys. Res. 105, 10527.
Kojima, M., Fujiki, K., Ohmi, T., Tokamaru, M., Yokobe, A., and Hakamada, K.: 1999, J. Geophys. Res. 104, 16993.
Levine, R. H.: 1977, Astrophys. J. 218, 291.
Levine, R. H.: 1977, in J. B. Zirker (ed.), Coronal Holes and High Speed Wind Streams, Co. Assoc. Univ. Press, Boulder, p. 103.
Levine, R. H.: 1982, Solar Phys. 79, 203.
Liewer, P. C., Neugebauer, M., and Zurbuchen, T.: 2003, in M. Velli, R. Bruno and F. Malara (eds.), Solar Wind Ten: Proceedings of the Tenth Intl. Solar Wind Conference, AIP, NY, p. 51.
Luhmann, J. G., Li, Y., Arge, C. N., Gazis, P. R., and Ulrich, R.: 2002, J. Geophys. Res 107,A8, SMP 3–1, CiteID 1154.
McComas, D. J., Gosling, J. T., and Skoug, R. M.: 2000, Geophys. Res. Lett. 27, 2437.
McComas, D. J., Goldstein, R., Gosling, J. T., and Skoug, R. M.: 2001, Spac. Sci. Rev. 97, 99.
McComas, D. J., Elliott, H. A., and von Steiger, R.: 2002, Geophys. Res. Lett. 29, 10.1029/2001GL013940.
Neugebauer, M., Forsyth, R. J., Galvin, A. B., Harvey, K. L., Hoeksema, J. T., Lazarus, A. J., Lepping, R. P., Linker, J. A., Mikic, Z., Steinberg, J. T., von Steiger, R., Wang, Y.-M., Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F.: 1998, J. Geophys. Res. 103, 14587.
Neugebauer, M., Liewer, P. C., Smith, E. J., Skoug, R. M., and Zurbuchen, T. H.: 2002, J. Geophys. Res. 107(A12) SSH13–1, CiteID 1488 (Paper I).
Schrijver, C. J. and DeRosa, M. L.: 2003, Solar Phys. 212, 165.
Švestka, Z., Solodyna, C. V., Howard, R., and Levine, R. H.: 1977, Solar Phys. 55, 359.
von Steiger, R., Geiss, J., and Gloeckler, G.: 1997, in J. R. Jokipii, C. P. Sonett, and M. S. Giampapa, (eds.), Cosmic Winds and the Heliosphere, University of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 581–616.
von Steiger, R., Zurbuchen, T. H., Geiss, J., Gloeckler, G., Fisk, L. A., and Schwadron, N. A.: 1997, Space Sci. Rev. 97, 123.
von Steiger, R., Schwadron, N. A., Fisk, L. A., Geiss, J., Gloeckler, G., Hefti, S., Wilken, B., Wimmer-Schweingruber, R. F., and Zurbuchen, T. H.,: 2000, J. Geophys. Res 105, 27217.
Wang, Y.-M. and Sheeley, N. R., Jr.: 1997, Geophys. Res. Lett. 24, 3141.
Wang, Y.-M. and Sheeley, N. R., Jr.: 2003, Astrophys. J. 587, 818.
Wang, Y.-M., Sheeley, N. R., Jr., Howard, R. A., Kraemer, J. R., Rich, N. B., Andrews, M. D., Brueckner, G. E., Dere, K. P., Koomen, M. J., Korendyke, C. M., Michels, D. J., Moses, J. D., Paswaters, S. E., Socker, D. G., Wang, D., Lamy, P. L., Llebaria, A., Vibert, D., Schwenn, R., and Simnett, G. M.: 1997a, Astrophys. J. 485, 875.
Wang, Y.-M., Sheeley, N. R., Jr., Walters, J. H., Brueckner, G. E., Howard, R. A., Michels, D. J., Lamy, Schwenn, R., and Simnett, G. M.: 1997b, Astrophys. J. 498, L165.
Wang, Y.-M., Sheeley, N. R., Jr., Walters, J. H., Brueckner, G. E., Howard, R. A., Michels, D. J., Lamy, P. L., Schwenn, R., Simnett, G. M.: 1998, Astrophys. J. 498, L165.
Zurbuchen, T. H., Hefti, S. Fisk, L. A., Gloeckler, G., and von Steiger, R.: 1999, Space Sci. Rev. 87, 353.
Zurbuchen, T. H., Hefti, S., Fisk, L. A.,, Gloeckler, G., and Schwadron, N. A.: 2000, J. Geophys. Res. 105, 18327.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Liewer, P.C., Neugebauer, M. & Zurbuchen, T. Characteristics of active-region sources of solar wind near solar maximum. Sol Phys 223, 209–229 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-004-1105-z
Received:
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-004-1105-z