Skip to main content
Springer Nature Link
Log in

Stream Interactions and Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections at 5.3 AU near the Solar Ecliptic Plane

  • Published:
Solar Physics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

We have performed a survey of the characteristics of two types of large spatial-scale solar-wind structures, stream interaction regions (SIRs), and interplanetary coronal mass ejections (ICMEs), near 5.3 AU, using solar-wind observations from Ulysses. Our study is confined to the three aphelion passes of Ulysses, and also within ± 10° of the solar ecliptic plane, covering a part of 1992, 1997 – 1998, and 2003 – 2005, representing three slices of different phases of the solar activity cycle. Overall, there are 54 SIRs and 60 ICMEs in the survey. Many are merged in hybrid events, suggesting that they have undergone multiple interactions prior to reaching Jovian orbit. About 91% of SIRs occur with shocks, with 47% of such shocks being forward – reverse shock pairs. The solar-wind velocity sometimes stays constant or even decreases within the interaction region near 5.3 AU, in contrast with the gradual velocity increase during SIRs at 1 AU. Shocks are driven by 58% of ICMEs, with 94% of them being forward shocks. Some ICMEs seem to have multiple small flux ropes with different scales and properties. We quantitatively compare various properties of SIRs and ICMEs at 5.3 AU, and study their statistical distributions and variations with solar activity. The width, maximum dynamic pressure, and peak perpendicular pressure of SIRs all become larger than ICMEs. Dynamic pressure (P dyn) is expected to be important for Jovian magnetospheric activity. We have examined the distributions of P dyn of SIRs, ICMEs, and general solar wind, but these cannot explain the observed bimodal distribution of the location of the Jovian magnetopause. By comparing the properties of SIRs and ICMEs at 0.72, 1, and 5.3 AU, we find that the ICME expansion slows down significantly between 1 and 5.3 AU. Some transient and small streams in the inner heliosphere have merged into a single interaction region.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+
from €39.99 /Month
  • Starting from 10 chapters or articles per month
  • Access and download chapters and articles from more than 300k books and 2,500 journals
  • Cancel anytime
View plans

Buy Now

Price includes VAT (Germany)

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Explore related subjects

Discover the latest articles and news from researchers in related subjects, suggested using machine learning.

References

  • Balogh, A., Beek, T.J., Forsyth, R.J., Hedgecock, P.C., Marquedant, R.J., Smith, E.J., Southwood, D.J., Tsurutani, B.T.: 1992, Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. 92, 221.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Balogh, A., González-Esparza, J.A., Forsyth, R.J., Burton, M.E., Goldstein, B.E., Smith, E.J., Bame, S.J.: 1995, Space Sci. Rev. 72, 171.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Balogh, A., Gosling, J.T., Jokipii, J.R., Kallenbach, R., Kunow, H. (eds.): 1999, Space Sci. Rev. 89.

  • Bame, S.J., McComas, D.J., Barraclough, B.L., Phillips, J.L., Sofaly, K.J., Chavez, J.C., Goldstein, B.E., Sakurai, R.K.: 1992, Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. 92, 237.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Belcher, J.W., Davis, L. Jr.: 1971, J. Geophys. Res. 76, 3534.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Borrini, G., Gosling, J.T., Bame, S.J., Feldman, W.C.: 1982, J. Geophys. Res. 87, 4365.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Bothmer, V., Schwenn, R.: 1994, Space Sci. Rev. 70, 215.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Brueckner, G.E., Howard, R.A., Koomen, M.J., Korendyke, C.M., Michels, D.J., Moses, J.D., et al.: 1995, Solar Phys. 162, 357.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Burlaga, L.F.: 1974, J. Geophys. Res. 79, 3717.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Burlaga, L.F.: 1983, J. Geophys. Res. 88, 6085.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Burlaga, L.F.: 1991, In: Schwenn, R., Marsch, E. (eds.) Physics of the Inner Heliosphere 2, Springer-Verlag, 1.

  • Burlaga, L.F., Sittler, E., Mariani, F., Schwenn, R.: 1981, J. Geophys. Res. 86, 6673.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Burlaga, L.F., Klein, L.W., Lepping, R.P., Behannon, K.W.: 1984, J. Geophys. Res. 89, 10659.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Cane, H.V., Richardson, I.G.: 1997, J. Geophys. Res. 102, 17445.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Cane, H.V., Richardson, I.G.: 2003, J. Geophys. Res. 108(A4), 1156.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Chen, J.: 1996, J. Geophys. Res. 101, 27499.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Crooker, N.U.: 2000, J. Atmos. Solar-Terr. Phys. 62, 1071.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Crooker, N.U., Horbury, T.S.: 2006, Space Sci. Rev. 123, 93.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Crooker, N.U., Gosling, J.T., Kahler, S.W.: 2002, J. Geophys. Res. 107(A2), 1028.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Crooker, N.U., Burton, M.E., Siscoe, G.L., Kahler, S.W., Gosling, J.T., Smith, E.J.: 1996, J. Geophys. Res. 101(A11), 24331.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Crooker, N.U., Gosling, J.T., Bothmer, V., Forsyth, R.J., Gazis, P.R., Hewish, A., et al.: 1999, Space Sci. Rev. 89, 179.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Crooker, N.U., Forsyth, R., Rees, A., Gosling, J.T., Kahler, S.W.: 2004, J. Geophys. Res. 109, A06110.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • de Kong, C.A., Steinberg, J.T., Gosling, J.T., Reisenfeld, D.B., Skoug, R.M., St. Cyr, O.C., Malayeri, M.L., Balogh, A., Rees, A., McComas, D.J.: 2005, J. Geophys. Res. 110, A01102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Du, D., Wang, C., Hu, Q.: 2007, J. Geophys. Res. 112, A09101.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fenrich, F.R., Luhmann, J.G.: 1998, Geophys. Res. Lett. 25, 2999.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Forsyth, R.J., Bothmer, V., Cid, C., Crooker, N.U., Horbury, T.S., et al.: 2006, Space Sci. Rev. 123, 383.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Ge, Y.S., Jian, L.K., Russell, C.T.: 2007, Geophys. Res. Lett. 34, L23106.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • González-Esparza, J.A., Smith, E.J.: 1996, J. Geophys. Res. 101, 24359.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • González-Esparza, J.A., Smith, E.J.: 1997, J. Geophys. Res. 102, 9781.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • González-Esparza, J.A., Balogh, A., Forsyth, R.J., Neugebauer, M., Smith, E.J., Phillips, J.L.: 1996, J. Geophys. Res. 101, 17057.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • González-Esparza, J.A., Neugebauer, M., Smith, E.J., Phillips, J.L.: 1998, J. Geophys. Res. 103, 4767.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gopalswamy, N.: 2006, J. Astrophys. Astron. 27, 243.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gopalswamy, N., Yashiro, S., Liu, Y., Michalek, G., Vourlidas, A., Kaiser, M.L., Howard, R.A.: 2006, J. Geophys. Res. 110, A09 S15.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosling, J.T.: 1997, In: Crooker, N., Joselyn, J.A., Feynman, J. (eds.) Coronal Mass Ejections, Geophys. Monograph 99, AGU, Washington, 9.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gosling, J.T., Forsyth, R.J.: 2001, Space Sci. Rev 97, 87.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gosling, J.T., Pizzo, V.J.: 1999, Space Sci. Rev 89, 21.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gosling, J.T., Pizzo, V., Bame, S.J.: 1973, J. Geophys. Res. 78, 2001.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gosling, J.T., Birn, J., Hesse, M.: 1995, Geophys. Res. Lett. 22, 869.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gosling, J.T., Asbridge, J.R., Bame, S.J., Feldman, W.C.: 1978, J. Geophys. Res. 83, 1401.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Gosling, J.T., McComas, D.J., Phillips, J.L., Feldman, W.C.: 1991, J. Geophys. Res. 96, 7831.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Hundhausen, A.J.: 1988, In: Pizzo, V.J., Holzer, T.E., Sime, D.G. (eds.) Proceedings of the Sixth International Solar Wind Conference, Rep. TN-306, NCAR, Boulder, 181.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hundhausen, A.J., Gosling, J.T.: 1976, J. Geophys. Res. 81, 1436.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Intriligator, D.S., Siscoe, G.L., Wibberenz, G., Kunow, H., Gosling, J.T.: 1995, Geophys. Res. Lett. 22, 1173.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jian, L., Russell, C.T., Gosling, J.T., Luhmann, J.G.: 2005a, In: Fleck, B., Zurbuchen, T.H., Lacoste, H. (eds.) Connecting Sun and Heliosphere, Proc. Solar Wind 11/SOHO 16 SP-592, ESA, Noordwijk, 491.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jian, L., Russell, C.T., Gosling, J.T., Luhmann, J.G.: 2005b, In: Fleck, B., Zurbuchen, T.H., Lacoste, H. (eds.) Connecting Sun and Heliosphere, Proc. Solar Wind 11/SOHO 16 SP-592, ESA, Noordwijk, 731.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jian, L., Russell, C.T., Luhmann, J.G., Skoug, R.M.: 2006a, Solar Phys. 239, 337.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jian, L., Russell, C.T., Luhmann, J.G., Skoug, R.M.: 2006b, Solar Phys. 239, 393.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jian, L.K., Russell, C.T., Luhmann, J.G., Skoug, R.M.: 2008a, Adv. Space Res. 41, 259.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Jian, L.K., Russell, C.T., Luhmann, J.G., Skoug, R.M., Steinberg, J.T.: 2008b, Solar Phys. 249, 85.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Joy, S.P., Kivelson, M.G., Walker, R.J., Khurana, K.K., Russell, C.T., Ogino, T.: 2002, J. Geophys. Res 107(A10), 1309.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, L.W., Burlaga, L.F.: 1982, J. Geophys. Res 87, 613.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lazarus, A.J., Richardson, J.D., Decker, R.B., McDonald, F.B.: 1999, Space Sci. Rev 89, 53.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Lepping, R.P., Jones, J.A., Burlaga, L.F.: 1990, J. Geophys. Res 95, 11957.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Liu, Y., Richardson, J.D., Belcher, J.W.: 2005, Planet. Space Sci. 53, 3.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Luhmann, J.G., Li, Y., Arge, C.N., Gazis, P.R., Ulrich, R.: 2002, J. Geophys. Res 107, 1154.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Manchester IV, W.B., Zurbuchen, T.H.: 2007, J. Geophys. Res. 112, A07103.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marubashi, K.: 1997, In: Crooker, N., Joselyn, J.A., Feynman, J. (eds.) Coronal Mass Ejections, Geophys. Monograph 99, AGU, Washington, 147.

    Google Scholar 

  • Murdin, P.: 2000, In: P. Murdin (ed.) Encyclopedia of Astronomy and Astrophysics, Article 4331.

  • Neugebauer, M., Goldstein, R.: 1997, In: Crooker, N., Joselyn, J.A., Feynman, J. (eds.) Coronal Mass Ejections, Geophys. Monograph 99, AGU, Washington, 245.

    Google Scholar 

  • Osherovich, V., Burlaga, L.F.: 1997, In: Crooker, N., Joselyn, J.A., Feynman, J. (eds.) Coronal Mass Ejections, Geophys. Monograph 99, AGU, Washington, 157.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rees, A., Forsyth, R.J.: 2004, Geophys. Res. Lett. 31, L06804.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Richardson, I.G., Cane, H.V.: 1995, J. Geophys. Res. 100, 23397.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Riley, P., Gosling, J.T.: 2007, J. Geophys. Res. 112, A07102.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riley, P., Schatzman, C., Cane, H.V., Richardson, I.G., Gopalswamy, N.: 2006, Astrophys. J. 647, 648.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, C.T., Shinde, A.A.: 2005, Solar Phys 229, 323.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, C.T., Shinde, A.A., Jian, L.K.: 2005, Adv. Space Res. 35, 2178.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Schwenn, R.: 1990, In: Schwenn, R., Marsch, E. (eds.) Physics of the Inner Heliosphere 1, Springer-Verlag, 99.

  • Shodhan, S., Crooker, N.U., Kahler, S.W., Fitzenreiter, R.J., Larson, D.E., Lepping, R.P., Siscoe, G.L., Gosling, J.T.: 2000, J. Geophys. Res. 105, 27261.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Siscoe, G., Intriligator, D.: 1993, Geophys. Res. Lett. 20(20), 2267.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Slavin, J.A., Smith, E.J., Spreiter, J.R., Stahara, S.S.: 1985, J. Geophys. Res. 90, 6275.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, E.J., Wolfe, J.H.: 1976, J. Geophys. Res. 3, 137.

    Google Scholar 

  • Smith, E.J., Fillilius, R.W., Wolfe, J.H.: 1978, J. Geophys. Res. 83, 4733.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, Z.K., Dryer, M., Fillius, R.W., Smith, E.J., Wolfe, J.H.: 1981, J. Geophys. Res. 86, 6773.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Southwood, D.J., Kivelson, M.G.: 2001, J. Geophys. Res. 106, 6123.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Vasquez, B.J., Farrugia, C.J., Markovskii, S.A., Hollweg, J.V., Richardson, I.G., Ogilvie, K.W., Lepping, R.P., Lin, R.P., Larson, D.: 2001, J. Geophys. Res. 106, 29283.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Wang, C., Du, D., Richardson, J.D.: 2005, J. Geophys. Res. 110, A10107.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Wenzel, K.-P., Marsden, R.G., Page, D.E., Smith, E.J.: 1992, Astron. Astrophys. Suppl. 92, 207.

    ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Whang, Y.C., Burlaga, L.F., Ness, N.F., Smith, C.W.: 2001, Solar Phys 204, 255.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Wimmer-Schweingruber, R.F., Crooker, N.U., Balogh, A., Bothmer, V., Forsyth, R.J., Gazis, P., et al.: 2006, Space Sci. Rev. 123, 177.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Yashiro, S., Gopalswamy, N., Michalek, G., St. Cyr, O.C., Plunkett, S.P., Rich, N.B., Howard, R.A.: 2004, J. Geophys. Res. 109, A07105.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Zhao, X.P.: 1992, J. Geophys. Res. 97, 15051.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  • Zurbuchen, T.H., Richardson, I.G.: 2006, Space Sci. Rev. 123, 31.

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California Los Angeles, 595 Charles E. Young Dr. East, 6862 Slichter, Los Angeles, CA, 90095, USA

    L. K. Jian & C. T. Russell

  2. Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California Berkeley, Berkeley, CA, 94720, USA

    J. G. Luhmann

  3. Space Science and Applications, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, 87545, USA

    R. M. Skoug & J. T. Steinberg

Authors
  1. L. K. Jian
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  2. C. T. Russell
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  3. J. G. Luhmann
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. M. Skoug
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

  5. J. T. Steinberg
    View author publications

    Search author on:PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to L. K. Jian.

Electronic Supplementary Material

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Jian, L.K., Russell, C.T., Luhmann, J.G. et al. Stream Interactions and Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections at 5.3 AU near the Solar Ecliptic Plane. Sol Phys 250, 375–402 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-008-9204-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11207-008-9204-x

Keywords