Insights into Solar Wind Flow Speeds from the Coronal Radio Occultation Experiment: Findings from the Indian Mars Orbiter Mission

• DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/adb627
• Publication Date: 2025-03-26T06:54:48Z
• Authors: Keshav Aggarwal; R. K. Choudhary; Abhirup Datta; Roopa M. V.; Bijoy K. Dai
• Keywords: Orbiter; Occultation; Radio occultation

Abstract Using data collected by the Indian Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) in 2021 October, we investigated coronal regions of Sun analyzing Doppler spectral width radio signals to estimate solar wind velocity. A simplified equation is introduced directly relate these two parameters. The study focuses on observations conducted from October 2 14, a relatively quiet phase cycle 25. analysis targeted region within heliocentric distances 5–8 R ⊙ , near ecliptic plane. In this region, velocities ranged 100 150 km s −1 while electron densities were order 10 m −3 . We also compared our results with density and models derived previous studies. Though decrease respect increasing distance matches quite well theoretical models, MOM estimates fall at lower edge distribution. This difference may be attributed prolonged weak activity during observations, contrast prior studies periods comparatively higher earlier cycles.