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How does the Solar Max affect the Genesis
spacecraft?
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To see solar wind
data from the Genesis spacecraft, click on: http://genesis.lanl.gov/plots/test/mec/1day/
On this screen you can click on any date to see:
the last shock date; a graph indicating the type of
solar wind regime being recorded by the Genesis collectors—slow,
fast, CME, or unknown—and the speed of the solar
wind in km/sec; a temperature graph (in K); and, a density
graph (cm-3) all plotted against time of
day on horizontal axis at bottom of screen. |
Genesis scientists predicted that flying during Solar Max would
result in collecting more CME and coronal hole wind. During
periods of low solar activity, a very fast type of solar wind
flows from relatively stationary "coronal holes" over the north
and south poles of the sun. During Solar Max, smaller coronal
holes occur at various latitudes of the sun, so this type of
wind is encountered more often by Genesis and other satellites
near the Earth. This is good, because this type of solar wind
is thought to be the closest to the actual solar composition.
By examining the data at the site provided for one or two
days prior to and following the date of the last shock, you
will see the changes in these three solar wind properties
during an energetic particle event. For an example, access
the data for August 14 through 20, 2002. During this period
of time, the Genesis spacecraft registered two CME shocks.
Examine closely the changes in speed, temperature, density,
and the erratic He/H ratio of the wind.
NEXT
For a more technical description, take a Closer
Look at
The Structured Sun and Solar Max: At the Core of the Matter.
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