I was letting my mind wander this morning, I was out past Mars, mining the asteroid belt when I had a thought. What if the solar wind had more in common with regular wind?

We all know that you can use a solar sail to catch the particles coming off the Sun and use them for a form of propulsion, but what if there is a spot out there where there is a solar "jet stream?"

Much like the jet stream we have here on Earth that the airliners use to get to their destination a little faster, we could possibly use the solar jet stream (if there is one) to get to where we want to be a little faster.

It stands to reason that there will be a spot where the solar wind is the strongest, and another spot where it is the weakest, we would only need to figure out where this strong spot is and use it.

Or not.

theres something in star wars like that! .. in the 2nd episode.. they talk about it on the DVD comentary! sounds like a cool idea!

In certian high energy systems there are constant "particle fountians" that do spew forth particles in certian directions more than others. This is most notable around the poles of neutron stars and black holes. I have no idea about normal stars though. I suppose a study of the sun's corona could reveal that. I do know that there is a much more powerful solar wind after a solar flare though.

Remember, with the solar wind intensity is mesured in density, not speed like planetary wind. Higher density would have the same effect on a solar sail though, making it more effective.

While on the subject of solar sails, new technologys and theorys are making it so that solar sails won't have to be the huge bulky sheets or mesh envisioned for so many decades. Insted it can be constructed entirely of magnetic fields, for which the generating equipment can be based inside a craft.

Wouldn't the particle wind speed up going around a planet?

Kind of like water going around a rock in a river?