How The Solar Wind Ties To Its Photospheric Origins

Abstract

We present a new method of visualizing the solar photospheric magnetic field based on the "Magnetic Range of Influence" (MRoI). The MRoI is a simple realization of the magnetic environment in the photosphere, reflecting the distance required to balance the integrated magnetic field contained in any magnetogram pixel. It provides a new perspective on where sub-terrestrial field lines in a Potential Field Source Surface (PFSS) model connect to the photosphere, and thus the source of Earth-directed solar wind (within the limitations of PFSS models), something that is not usually obvious from a regular synoptic magnetogram. In each of three sample solar rotations, at different phases of the solar cycle, the PFSS footpoint either jumps between isolated areas of high MRoI or moves slowly within one such area. Footpoint motions are consistent with Fisk's interchange reconnection model.

12 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication by ApJ Letters

References in corpus (3)

• The Post-Eruptive Evolution of a Coronal Dimming
• Simple Magnetic Flux Balance as an Indicator of Neon VIII Doppler Velocity Partitioning in an Equatorial Coronal Hole
• Empirical Solar Wind Forecasting from the Chromosphere

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• Linking the Sun to the Heliosphere Using Composition Data and Modelling. A Test Case with a Coronal Jet
• The S-Web Origin of Composition Enhancement in the Slow-to-Moderate Speed Solar Wind
• A Change of Solar He II EUV Global Network Structure of the Transition Region as an Indicator of Geo-Effectiveness of Solar Minima