Adam Kobelski, Mr. - PhD
National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Green Bank, WV, USA
       
       
Session 1 - Poster

Measuring the Solar Magnetic Field with STEREO A&B Faraday Rotation Observations using the 100m Green Bank Telescope

E. Jensen (1), C. Heiles (2), A. Kepley (3), A. Kobelski (3), D. Wexler (4); 1 - PSI, 2 - U. California Berkeley, USA, 3 - National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Charlottesville, VA, USA, 4 - Univ. of South Queensland, Australia
       

The STEREO A&B spacecraft recently passed through superior conjunction with the Sun due to their unique orbits. Measuring the accelerating solar wind from two relatively fixed points has not been possible since the early 1980's when the solar cycles were very different from today's unusually weak sunspot cycles. We have taken measurements with the 100m Green Bank Telescope to measure the Faraday rotation of STEREO A's radio frequency carriers to investigate the magnetic field of the solar corona at various radial distances and within different structures, specifically the quiet background, magnetohydrodynamic fluctuations, and coronal mass ejection crossings. These observations show notable fluctuations in the Faraday rotation of the signal, allowing a unique insight into the dynamics of the above 1.7 Solar radii.