Minor Ion Abundances in the Slow Solar Wind

Abstract

In this paper we report for the first time the absolute abundance of P (A_P = 6.1 +/- 0.5), Al (A_Al = 7.2 +/- 0.2), K (A_K = 5.7 +/- 0.4), and Na (A_Na = 6.5 +/- 0.3) in the slow solar wind for three wind speed ranges (380, 390, 400 km s^-1, with a tolerance of ±2 km s^-1) using 4 years of CELIAS (Charge, Element, and Isotope Analysis System) data. In addition, we give a new evaluation of the ratios X/Mg and X/Ca. Finally, using these new abundance measurements we give the element enrichment as a function of the FIP (first ionization potential) and the first ionization time (FIT). For the latter we evaluated for the first time the FIT of phosphorus (3.37 s), and we reevaluated the FIT of sulfur (2.7 s).