Journal article
Statistical insights on the decorrelation lengths of solar wind parameters at L1 point under varying conditions
Advances in space research, Vol.78(8), pp.8530-8541
08/2026
DOI: 10.1016/j.asr.2026.08.007
Abstract
Understanding the spatial coherence of solar wind plasma and magnetic field properties is essential for interpreting multi-spacecraft observations and for characterizing the large-scale structure of heliospheric transients. In this study, we quantify the spatial correlation of six key solar wind parameters—interplanetary magnetic field components, bulk flow speed, proton number density, and the alpha-to-proton abundance ratio—using simultaneous measurements from the ACE and Wind spacecraft as a function of their instantaneous separation distance. The analysis is performed separately for intervals of background solar wind, Interplanetary Coronal Mass Ejections (ICMEs), and Stream Interaction Regions (SIRs). The decay of the Pearson correlation coefficient with distance is modeled using an exponential function to infer characteristic de-correlation length scales. We find that the bulk solar wind speed is the most spatially coherent parameter in all regimes, while plasma composition exhibits the weakest coherence. Magnetic field coherence shows strong dependence on solar wind structure: ICMEs display near-unity correlations and the largest magnetic coherence scales, consistent with organized, flux-rope-like configurations, whereas SIRs exhibit reduced coherence—particularly in the north–south magnetic field component—reflecting compressed and turbulent plasma. The background solar wind exhibits intermediate behavior, with large-scale coherence in bulk plasma properties but shorter coherence lengths in magnetic fluctuations. These results provide a quantitative framework for distinguishing solar wind structures based on their spatial coherence properties and have important implications for multi-point solar wind studies and space weather applications.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Statistical insights on the decorrelation lengths of solar wind parameters at L1 point under varying conditions
- Creators
- Yogesh - University of IowaAparupa Apsara Baruah - Dibrugarh UniversityDibyendu Chakrabarty - Indian Institute of Technology GandhinagarKalyan Bhuyan - Dibrugarh UniversityAakash Gupta - Physical Research LaboratoryGregory G. Howes - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Advances in space research, Vol.78(8), pp.8530-8541
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.asr.2026.08.007
- ISSN
- 0273-1177
- eISSN
- 1879-1948
- Publisher
- Elsevier B.V
- Grant note
- College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Iowa NASA: 80NSSC24K124, 80NSSC24K0552 Department of Space, Government of India
We gratefully acknowledge the principal investigators of instruments on-board NASA's Wind and ACE mission for generating the data and making them publicly available. Y. acknowledge the support by the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Iowa. G.G.H. acknowledges support of NASA grants 80NSSC24K124 and 80NSSC24K0552. We express our sincere gratitude to the Department of Space, Government of India for supporting this work. We acknowledge use of NASA/GSFC's Space Physics Data Facility (SPDF). - Language
- English
- Electronic publication date
- 08/2026
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9985219867902771
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