A statistical analysis of published Helios 1 and Mariner 2 data is used to establish a relation between proton number density n and flow velocity u. It was found that n is inversely proportional to the square of u and it is interpreted that this result is an invariance of the momentum flux density carried by the protons in the solar wind in different streams. At 1 AU the mean value of the momentum flux density from Helios 1 is 2.2 x 10 to the -8th dyn/sq cm; similar values are obtained from Mariner 2 and Vela 3 indicating an overall consistency of the results from all three spacecraft. The spread in the distribution of the momentum flux density diminishes closer to the sun, suggesting that its invariance is a boundary condition at the sun. The faster and more tenuous the flow, the more energy flux density is carried by it, supporting the hypothesis that fast streams originate in coronal holes.
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Steinitz et al. (1980) studied this question.