Abstract
The structure of Heliospheric Magnetic Field (HMF) is a function of both the coronal conditions from which it originates and dynamic processes which take place in the solar wind. The division between the inner and outer regions of the heliosphere is the result of dynamic processes which form large scale structures with increasing heliocentric distance. The structure of the HMF is normally described in the reference frame based on Parker's geometric model, but is better understood as an extension of potential field models of the corona. The Heliospheric Current Sheet (HCS) separates the two dominant polarities in the heliosphere; its large scale geometry near solar minimum is well understood but its topology near solar maximum remains to be investigated by Ulysses. At solar minimum, Corotating Interaction Regions (CIRs) dominate the near-equatorial heliosphere and extend their influence to mid-latitudes; the polar regions of the heliosphere are dominated by uniform fast solar wind streams and large amplitude, long wavelength, mostly transverse magnetic fluctuations. Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) introduce transient variability into the large scale heliospheric structure and may dominate the inner heliosphere near solar maximum at all latitudes.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Balogh, A., Erdos, G., Forsyth, R.J., and Smith, E.J.: 1993, 'The evolution of the interplanetary sector structure in 1992', Geophys. Res. Lett. 20, 2331.
Balogh, A., Smith, E.J., Tsurutani, B.T., Southwood, D.J., Forsyth, R.J., and Horbury, T.S.: 1995, 'The heliospheric magnetic field out of the ecliptic plane', Science 268, 1007.
Balogh, A., Forsyth, R.J., Horbury, T.S., and Smith, E.J.: 1996, 'Variances and fluctuations of the heliospheric magnetic field in solar polar flows', in Solar Wind Eight, ed. by D. Winterhalter, J.T. Gosling, S.R. Habbal, W.S. Kurth, and M. Neugebauer, AIP-382, Woodbury, NY, 221.
Bame, S.J., Goldstein, B.E., Gosling, J.T., Harvey, J.W., McComas, D.J., Neugebauer, M., and Phillips, J.L.: 1993, 'Ulysses observations of a recurrent high speed solar wind stream and the heliomagnetic streamer belt', Geophys. Res. Lett. 20, 2323.
Behannon, K.W., Burlaga, L.F., Hoeksema, J.T., and Klein, L.W.: 1989, 'Spatial variation and evolution of heliospheric sector structure', J. Geophys. Res. 94, 1989.
Burlaga, L.F.: 1991, 'Magnetic clouds', in Physics of the Inner Heliosphere, Vol. 2, ed. by R. Schwenn and E. Marsch, Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg, 1.
Burlaga, L.F., Klein, L.W., Lepping, R.P., and Behannon, K.W.: 1984, 'Large scale magnetic fields: Voyager 1 and 2 observations between 1 AU and 9.5 AU', J. Geophys. Res. 89, 10,659.
Crooker, N.U., Burton, M.E., Siscoe, G.L., Kahler,, S.W., Gosling, J.T., and Smith, E.J.: 1996, 'Solar wind streamer belt structure', J. Geophys. Res. 101, 24,331.
Fisk, L.A.,: 1996, 'Motion of the footpoints of heliospheric magnetic field lines at the Sun: Implications for recurrent energetic particle events at high heliographic latitudes', J. Geophys. Res. 101, 15,547.
Forsyth, R.J., Balogh, A., Smith, E.J., Erdos, G., and McComas, D.J.: 1996, 'The underlying Parker spiral structure in the Ulysses magnetic field observations 1990-1994', J. Geophys. Res. 101, 395.
Gonzalez-Esparza, J.A., Balogh, A., Forsyth, R.J., Neugebauer, M., Smith, E.J., and Phillips, J.L.: 1996, 'Heliospheric shock waves and large scale structures: Ulysses observations in and out of the ecliptic plane', J. Geophys. Res. 101, 17,057.
Gosling, J.T.: 1990, 'Coronal mass ejections and magnetic flux ropes in interplanetary space', in in Physics of Magnetic Flux Ropes, ed. by C.T. Russell, E.R. Priest, and L.C. Lee, AGU Monogr. 58, 343.
Gosling, J.T., Bame, S.J., McComas, D.J., Phillips, J.T., Pizzo, V.J., Goldstein, B.E., and Neugebauer, M.: 1993, 'Latitudinal variation of solar wind corotating stream interaction regions', Geophys. Res. Lett. 20, 2789.
Gosling, J.T., Bame, S.J., McComas, D.J., Phillips, J.L., Balogh, A., and Strong, K.T.: 1995, 'Coronal mass ejections at high heliographic latitudes: Ulysses', in The High Latitude Heliosphere, ed. by R.G. Marsden, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 133.
Gosling, J.T., Birn, J., and Hesse, M.: 1995, 'Three-dimensional magnetic reconnection and and the magnetic topology of coronal mass ejection events', Geophys. Res. Lett. 22, 869.
Hoeksema, J.T.: 1991, 'Large scale solar and heliospheric magnetic fields', Adv. Space Res. 11,(1) 15.
Hoeksema, J.T.: 1995, 'The large scale structure of the heliospheric current sheet during the Ulysses epoch', in The High Latitude Heliosphere, ed. by R.G. Marsden, Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, 137.
Horbury, T.S., Balogh, A., Forsyth, R.J., and Smith, E.J.: 1996, 'The rate of turbulent evolution over the Sun's poles', Astron. Astrophys. 316, 333.
Hundhausen, A.J.: 1993, 'Sizes and locations of coronal mass ejections: SMM observations from 1980 and 1984-89', J. Geophys. Res. 98, 13,177.
Kahler, S.W., Crooker, N.U., and Gosling, J.T.: 1996, 'The topology of intrasector reversals of the interplanetary magnetic field', J. Geophys. Res. 101, 24,373.
Jokipii, J.R., and Kóta, J.: 1989, 'The polar heliospheric magnetic field', Geophys. Res. Lett. 16, 1.
Lepping, R.P., Szabo, A., Peredo, M., and Hoeksema, J.T.: 1996, 'Large scale properties and solar connection of the heliospheric current and plasma sheets: WIND observations', Geophys. Res. Lett. 23, 1199.
Ness, N.F., and Burlaga, L.F.: 1996, 'Merged interaction regions and large scale fluctuations observed by Voyagers 1 and 2 in the distant Heliosphere', in Solar Wind Eight, ed. by D. Winterhalter, J.T. Gosling, S.R. Habbal, W.S. Kurth, and M. Neugebauer, AIP-382, Woodbury, NY, 591.
Parker, E.N.: 1958, 'Physics of the interplanetary gas and magnetic fields', Astrophys. J. 128, 664.
Phillips, J.L., Bame, S.M., Feldman, W.C., Goldstein, B.E., Gosling, J.T., Hammond, C.M., McComas, D.J., Neugebauer, M., Scime, E.E., and Suess, S.T.: 'Ulysses solar wind plasma observations at high southerly latitudes', Science 268, 1030.
Pizzo, V.J.: 1991, 'The evolution of corotating stream fronts near the ecliptic plane in the inner solar system: 2. Three-dimensional tilted dipole fronts', J. Geophys. Res. 96, 5405.
Riley, P., Gosling, J.T., Weiss, L.A., and Pizzo, V.J.: 1996, 'The tilts of corotating interaction regions at midheliographic latitudes', J. Geophys. Res. 101, 24,349.
Schwenn, R.: 1990, 'Large scale structure of the interplanetary medium', in Physics of the Inner Heliosphere, Vol. 1, ed. by R. Schwenn and E. Marsch, Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg, 99.
Smith, E.J., and Balogh, A.: 1995, 'Ulysses observations of the radial magnetic field', Geophys. Res. Lett. 22, 3317.
Smith, E.J., Tsurutani, B.T., and Rosenberg, R.L.: 1978, 'Observations of the interplanetary sector structure up to heliographic latitudes of 16c: Pioneer 11', J. Geophys. Res. 83, 717.
Smith, E.J., Slavin, J.A., and Thomas, B.T.: 1986, 'The heliospheric current sheet: 3-dimensional structure and solar cycle changes', in The Sun and the Heliosphere in Three Dimensions, ed. by R.G. Marsden, D. Reidel, Dordrecht, 267.
Smith, E.J., Balogh, A., Neugebauer, M., and McComas, D.J.: 1995, 'Ulysses observations of AlfvÚn waves in the southern and northern solar hemispheres', Geophys. Res. Lett. 22, 3381.
Wang, Y.-M., and Sheeley, N.R., Jr.: 1994, 'Global evolution of interplanetary sector structure, coronal holes and solar wind streams during 1976-1993: Stackplot displays based on solar magnetic observations', J. Geophys. Res. 99, 6597.
Wang, Y.-M., Hawley, S.H., and Sheeley, N.R., Jr.: 1996, 'The magnetic nature of coronal holes', Science 271, 464.
Weiss,, L.A., Gosling, J.T., McAllister, A.H., Hundhausen, A.J., Burkepile, J.T., Phillips, J.L., Strong, K.T., and Forsyth, R.J.: 1996, 'A comparison of interplanetary coronal mass ejections at Ulysses with Yohkoh soft X-ray coronal events', Astron. Astrophys. 316, 384.
Wilcox, J.M., and Ness, N.F.: 1964, 'Quasi-stationary corotating structure in the interplanetary medium', J. Geophys. Res. 70, 5793.
Wilcox, J.M., Scherrer, P.H., and Hoeksema, J.T.: 1980, 'Origin of the warped heliospheric current sheet', Science 209, 603.
Zhao, X., and Hoeksema, J.T.: 1995, 'Prediction of the interplanetary magnetic field strength', J. Geophys. Res. 100, 19.
Zhao, X., and Hoeksema, J.T.: 1996a, 'The temporal evolution of the radial component of the heliospheric magnetic field', in Solar Wind Eight, ed. by D. Winterhalter, J.T. Gosling, S.R. Habbal, W.S. Kurth, and M. Neugebauer, AIP-382, Woodbury, NY, 494.
Zhao, X., and Hoeksema, J.T.: 1996b, 'Effect of coronal mass ejections on the structure of the heliospheric current sheet', J. Geophys. Res. 101, 4825.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Balogh, A. Magnetic Fields in the Inner Heliosphere. Space Science Reviews 83, 93–104 (1998). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005073528966
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1005073528966