Quasi-periodic frequency fluctuations observed during coronal radio sounding experiments 1991-2009

Recent coronal radio sounding experiments with the ESA spacecraft Mars Express (MEX), Venus Express (VEX) and Rosetta (ROS) have provided a large volume of observational data supporting the presence of a quasi-periodic component (QPC) in frequency fluctuation spectra during solar conjunction. Further evidence for the QPC, first seen in data from the MEX conjunction in 2004, was found later in data from the MEX conjunctions in 2006 and 2008/09, as well as the VEX and ROS conjunctions in 2006. The QPC is detected with an occurrence frequency ≈ 18% (83.3 hours of the total 462.7 hours of data). In some cases the temporal spectra reveal two lines: the main QPC and its second harmonic. The average frequency of the spectral density maximum is νmax ≈ 5.5 mHz (corresponding QPC fluctuation period ≈ 3 min) at solar offset distances R < 8 Rs. The QPC spectral density maximum Gmax reaches an average factor of 2.88 above the background level G0 . The bandwidth of the spectral line ∆ν ≈ νmax . At larger solar distances (R > 8 Rs) the fluctuation frequency of the mean spectral density maximum is νmax ≈ 4.3 mHz (period ≈ 4 min). Both the fractional spectral line bandwidth ∆ν/νmax and the excess of spectral density Gmax above background are nearly unchanged from their values nearer the Sun. A reanalysis of earlier coronal sounding data obtained with the Ulysses (1991, 1995) and Galileo (1996/97) spacecraft has verified the existence of the QPC. Typical fluctuation periods lie between 4 and 5 min, but the QPC occurrence rate (12%) is smaller than that observed for MEX-VEX-ROS. This may be associated with the lower received signal level of Ulysses and Galileo compared to the ESA spacecraft. The Ulysses coronal sounding experiments in 1995 provided an interesting possibility to observe the QPC at high solar latitudes. Preliminary results show that the QPC frequency can reach νmax = 6-7 mHz at heliolatitudes 60° -80° .