Rarefaction of the Very Slow (<350 km/s) Solar Wind in Cycle 24 Compared With Cycle 23

Abstract

We investigate long-term variation of the very slow solar wind (VSSW), whose speed is less than 350 km/s, during the period between 1997 and 2015, that is, Cycles 23 and 24, using interplanetary scintillation measurements, which enable determination of the global distribution of the flow speed and the electron density fluctuation level ΔNe. We find that the occurrence rate of VSSW increases in the maximum phase of the solar cycle, and it was mostly associated with high ΔNe in Cycle 23. However, the VSSW is found to be more associated with low ΔNe in Cycle 24. This fact is consistent with an increased occurrence of the low-density VSSW observed in situ in Cycle 24. These facts, which are considered to be a manifestation of weak solar activity in this cycle, suggest that the VSSW has become significantly rarefied in recent years. We identify the source region of the VSSW on the photosphere using a potential field analysis and examine the magnetic field properties of the VSSW source. We find that the low-ΔNe VSSW is associated with a smaller expansion factor and possibly a slightly weaker photospheric field strength than the high-ΔNe VSSW. The results obtained here may suggest that more open magnetic field areas producing the VSSW in Cycle 24 are formed in the quiet Sun region, which is associated with a lower mass flux supply into the corona, than those in Cycle 23.