Properties and radial trends of coronal mass ejecta and their associated shocks observed by Ulysses in the ecliptic plane

In this paper, magnetic and plasma measurements are used to analyze 17 inte rplanetary coronal mass ejections (CMEs) identified by Ulysses during its i n-ecliptic passage to Jupiter. We focus on the expansion characteristics of these CMEs (as inferred from the time rate of change of the velocity profi les through the CMEs) and the properties of 14 forward shocks unambiguously associated with these CMEs, We highlight radial trends from 1 to 5.4 AU. O ur results indicate that the CMEs are generally expanding at all heliocentr ic distances. With regard to the shocks preceding these ejecta, we note the following: (1) There is a clear tendency for the shock speed (in the upstr eam frame of reference) to decrease with increasing heliocentric distance a s the CMEs transfer momentum to the ambient solar wind and slow down; (2) 8 6% of the shock fronts are oriented in the ecliptic plane such that their n ormals point westward (i.e., in the direction of planetary motion about the Sun); (3) 86% of the shocks are propagating toward the heliographic equato r; and (4) no clear trend was found in the strength of the shocks versus he liocentric distance. These results are interpreted using simple dynamical a rguments and are supported by fluid and MHD simulations.