The Comparison of Total Electron Content Between Radio and Thompson Scattering

Abstract

The total electron content (TEC) of the solar corona in June 2002 is calculated by three observational techniques and the results are compared. The first technique is solar rotational tomography (SRT) applied to a 14-day time series of LASCO-C2 polarized brightness images, and the other two techniques use the Cassini spacecraft radio beacon for Doppler tracking (phase delay) and ranging (group delay). While the Doppler-tracking technique has an arbitrary zero-point, it is otherwise found that the three methods produce consistent estimates of the TEC to within established uncertainties, providing an independent check on the calibrations. The verification of the accuracy of the Doppler-tracking technique enables a significant improvement to the use of spacecraft data sets in studying the heliosphere: the density component to Faraday rotation can be separated from the magnetic-field component as variable structures cross, such as coronal mass ejections and magnetohydrodynamic waves. Furthermore, we show that the unique frequency-time variable characteristics of the hydrodynamic components of waves can be studied. Based on this work, future Faraday rotation studies of variable solar phenomena will isolate the electron density changes from the magnetic-field contribution. This capability will enable advanced research into variable heliospheric magnetic fields.