Prediction of solar wind structures between Venus and Mars orbits

We performed a detailed study of the temporal evolution and spatial variation of the solar wind on different scales during the recent long solar activity minimum. We use STEREO Ahead and Behind, Venus Express and Mars Express in-situ plasma measurements to infer the solar wind properties and structures at any heliospheric in-ecliptic positions. We test the range of validity of these predictions by comparing their results. We find that our predictions are valid at radial spacecraft separations as far as the Mars and Venus orbits and even at 60 degrees longitudinal separation due to the steadiness of the solar wind at this time. Our results prove that two spacecraft positioned at the L4 and L5 Lagrangian points would be indeed suitable for terrestrial space weather forecasting of solar wind features such as high speed streams and stream interaction regions. Since 2010 the frequency of transients increases as the solar cycle proceeds towards activity maximum, so in this time period we expect lower correlations between the datasets of two widely separated spacecraft.