Comment on the paper 'Solution of one-fluid model equations with short range retarding magnetic forces for the quiet solar wind' by Cuperman and Harten

Cuperman and Harten (1974) recently studied the effect of coronal magnetic fields on the flow of the solar wind by calculating one-fluid models, using the assumption that the radial magnetic force varies according to a power law in heliocentric distance r. They concluded that short range retarding magnetic forces would account for the steepness of the observed density profile near the Sun, which cannot be explained by conventional spherically symmetric flow models. In this note it is shown that although magnetic forces probably do in fact steepen the coronal density profile, the magnetic-force model of Cuperman and Harten implies an unrealistically strong interplanetary magnetic field, and therefore cannot be regarded as a demonstration of the desired conclusion. (Auth.)