An interplanetary planar magnetic structure oriented at a large (@ 80 deg) angle to the parker spiral

Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 04:00:00 EDT 1990 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL017i008p01025· OSTI ID:6609344

Farrugia, C J; Dunlop, M W; Geurts, F; Balogh, A; Southwood, D J; Bryant, D A; Neugebauer, M; Etemadi, A ^[1]

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1. Imperial College, London (England)

Magnetic field structures in the solar wind, characterized by a variation of the field vectors within a plane inclined to the ecliptic (Planar Magnetic Structures, PMS's), were reported recently. These PMS's have the property that the plane of variation of the field also contains the nominal Parker spiral direction. The authors report here an observation of a PMS where the direction of the line of intersection of the plane of field variation with the ecliptic plane makes a large ({approximately}80 deg) angle to the Parker spiral direction. Furthermore, the angular variables of the field, {theta}{sub B}(elevation) and {phi}{sub B} (azimuth) (a) vary over a restricted range, and (b) are linearly related. They show the latter property to be related to the former. They argue that currently proposed models for the origin of PMS's, in as much as they require field configurations which retain strict alignment with the Parker spiral direction from formation to observation, are probably incomplete.

• OSTI ID: 6609344
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA) Vol. 17:8; ISSN GPRLA; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
DATA ANALYSIS
DISTANCE
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
INTERACTIONS
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
SATELLITES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
SPACE
VARIATIONS