Systematic averaging interval effects on solar wind statistics

Abstract

The choice of interval of averaging in computing statistics of solar wind fluctuations is known to be a sensitive issue in which the need for adequate sampling statistics must be balanced with the complications of establishing an ensemble, given that the solar wind admits inhomogeneity, structure, and variability at its sources. Here we examine the quantitative dependence of interval of averaging (sample size) on estimates of basic statistics such as means, variances, and anisotropies of the measured interplanetary magnetic field.