Parkes observations for project P1189 semester 2024OCTS_01

The solar wind and space weather events have a significant impact on the solar system and can pose hazards to both space and Earth-based technologies. Understanding the origins of the solar wind and space weather is therefore essential to comprehend how these events are driven and to enhance space weather prediction efforts. Magnetic structures such as coronal holes, helmet streamers, and prominences in the lower corona are believed to be key drivers of the winds and coronal mass ejections (CMEs). However, there are very few observational constraints on the solar wind and space weather events at low solar altitudes (< 20 solar radii), as this region is inaccessible to space probes. In this proposal, we aim to monitor a set of pulsars as they pass within 5.7 degrees of the Sun. Using the UWL receiver on the Parkes Radio Telescope, we will make precision measurements of the dispersive group delay and Faraday rotation of the pulses. This will enable us to investigate the densities and magnetic fields of the coronal structures driving the wind and to observe approximately $6 \pm 4$ CMEs as they pass by the pulsars serendipitously. We will integrate this data with complementary efforts to study the solar wind via interplanetary scintillation, constraints from space probes, and simulations. This approach provides an exciting opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of the solar wind and space weather.

太阳风与空间天气事件对太阳系具有显著影响，且可能对空间及地基技术构成危害。因此，理解太阳风与空间天气的起源对于掌握这些事件的驱动机制及提升空间天气预报能力至关重要。低日冕中的日冕洞、盔状冕流及日珥等磁结构被认为是太阳风与日冕物质抛射（CMEs）的关键驱动因素。然而，由于空间探测器无法抵达该区域，在低太阳高度（<20太阳半径）处，关于太阳风与空间天气事件的观测约束极为有限。本提案旨在监测一组在距离太阳5.7度范围内经过的脉冲星。借助帕克斯射电望远镜上的UWL接收器，我们将对脉冲的色散群延迟及法拉第旋转进行精确测量。这将使我们能够研究驱动太阳风的日冕结构的密度与磁场，并观测约6±4个偶然经过脉冲星的CMEs。我们将整合这些数据与其他互补研究成果，包括通过行星际闪烁、空间探测器约束及模拟对太阳风开展的研究。该方法为全面理解太阳风与空间天气提供了令人振奋的契机。