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The evolution of the interplanetary sector structure in 1992
Author(s) -
Balogh A.,
Erdös G.,
Forsyth R. J.,
Smith E. J.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/93gl02621
Subject(s) - interplanetary magnetic field , interplanetary spaceflight , physics , solar cycle , longitude , astronomy , coronal mass ejection , solar rotation , latitude , solar cycle 23 , heliosphere , solar physics , astrophysics , magnetic field , solar wind , quantum mechanics
The unique vantage point of the Ulysses spacecraft throughout 1992 and the beginning of 1993, at a close to constant heliocentric distance of about 5 AU and a slowly varying heliographic latitude from 5° to 30° south is used to describe and discuss the evolution of the sector structure of the interplanetary magnetic field during the declining phase of the solar cycle. From the end of 1990 to the beginning of 1992 the sector structure changed from a four sector to a two sector structure, but remained constant in solar longitude. From about June‐July 1992, the structure, matching the evolution in the computed coronal magnetic fields, drifted eastwards, with a recurrence period of about 28 days. This result may indicate a slower rotation rate for the dipolar component of the solar magnetic field which becomes dominant about this time in the solar cycle.