I am searching for a paper about the solar wind. In particular, I need a model (or real data) that describes plasma density as a function of time and location in space. Do such data exist in the literature?
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There are many different models that are used to describe the physical properties of the solar wind in time and space. Depending on the radial distance form the sun, these models differ from each other. Solar corona is described by different models that distances from around 0.3 astronomical unit (au) to ~ 10 au. Different models are used to model the distances beyond 10 au up to ~ 80 au from the sun.
One of the most well-known models to describe the inner heliosphere (from 0.3 au to 10 au from the sun which contains Earth orbit) is Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) model that describes the spatial and temporal variations of the density, momentum and pressure or the energy of the solar wind plasma. In this model the (mass) density of the charged particles in the solar wind follows the continuity equation. The solar wind flow velocity (momentum) follows the momentum equation, and the solar wind pressure (energy) is described by the energy equation. All of these evolution equations are derived from the integrals of the Boltzmann equation for the distribution of the energetic charged particles (in the solar wind in this case). Since solar wind has the solar magnetic field embedded in it, Maxwell equation for the electromagnetic waves are also linked to these three evolution equations (of mass density, momentum and energy int heir conservation forms) to form a complete set of equations to simulate the solar wind. An example of such models is as follow [10.3847/1538-4357/acabc4].
Real time data of the solar wind are also available thanks to the many spacecrafts operating in orbit around Earth or beyond Earth orbit such as WIND, ACE, Voyagers. These observations are stored in a NASA interface that is as follow [https://omniweb.gsfc.nasa.gov/].
