Signatures of coronal hole substructure in the solar wind: combined Solar Orbiter remote sensing and in situ measurements

TL;DR

This study combines remote sensing and in situ measurements from Solar Orbiter to investigate how small-scale coronal structures influence the properties and variations of the solar wind near the Sun.

Contribution

It demonstrates the direct impact of fine-scale coronal hole structures on solar wind variability using combined remote sensing and in situ data from Solar Orbiter.

Findings

Identification of small-scale stream interactions in the solar wind.

Correlation between coronal hole edge corrugations and solar wind variations.

Evidence that coronal structures influence solar wind properties at fine scales.

Abstract

Context. The Sun's complex corona is the source of the solar wind and interplanetary magnetic field. While the large scale morphology is well understood, the impact of variations in coronal properties on the scale of a few degrees on properties of the interplanetary medium is not known. Solar Orbiter, carrying both remote sensing and in situ instruments into the inner solar system, is intended to make these connections better than ever before. Aims. We combine remote sensing and in situ measurements from Solar Orbiter's first perihelion at 0.5 AU to study the fine scale structure of the solar wind from the equatorward edge of a polar coronal hole with the aim of identifying characteristics of the corona which can explain the in situ variations. Methods. We use in situ measurements of the magnetic field, density and solar wind speed to identify structures on scales of hours at the spacecraft. Using Potential Field Source Surface mapping we estimate the source locations of the measured solar wind as a function of time and use EUI images to characterise these solar sources. Results. We identify small scale stream interactions in the solar wind with compressed magnetic field and density along with speed variations which are associated with corrugations in the edge of the coronal hole on scales of several degrees, demonstrating that fine scale coronal structure can directly influence solar wind properties and drive variations within individual streams. Conclusions. This early analysis already demonstrates the power of Solar Orbiter's combined remote sensing and in situ payload and shows that with future, closer perihelia it will be possible dramatically to improve our knowledge of the coronal sources of fine scale solar wind structure, which is important both for understanding the phenomena driving the solar wind and predicting its impacts at the Earth and elsewhere.