Synopses & Reviews
This volume gives a comprehensive and integrated overview of current knowledge and understanding of corotating interaction regions (CIRs) in the solar wind. It is the result of a workshop at ISSI, where space scientists involved in the Ulysses, Pioneer, Voyager, IMP-8, Wind, and SOHO missions exchanged their data and interpretations with theorists in the fields of solar and heliospheric physics. The book provides a broad synthesis of current understanding of CIRs, which form at the interface between the fast solar wind originating in the northern and southern coronal holes and the slow solar wind that originates near and within coronal streamers surrounding the heliomagnetic equator. CIRs are the dominant structure in the heliosphere near and beyond Earth on the declining phase and near the minimum of the 11-year solar activity cycle. Particles energized at the shocks that bound CIRs at heliospheric distances beyond the orbit of Earth are the dominant energetic particle population observed in the outer heliosphere at these times. Papers included in this volume cover the subject of CIRs from their dissipation in the outer hemisphere, and include discussions of complexities associated with their evolution with distance from the Sun, their three-dimensional structure, and the myriad effects that CIRs have on energetic particles throughout the heliosphere. The book is intended to provide scientists active in space physics research with an up-to-date status report on current understanding of CIRs and their effects in the heliosphere, and also to serve the advanced graduate student with introductory material on this active field of research.
Synopsis
A Corotating Interaction Region (CIR) is the result of the interaction of fast solar wind with slower solar wind ahead. CIRs have a very large three-dimensional ex tent and are the dominant large-scale structure in the heliosphere on the declining and minimum phase of the solar activity cycle. Until recently, however, CIRs could only be observed close to the ecliptic plane, and their three-dimensional structure was therefore not obvious to observers and theoreticians alike. Ulysses was the first spacecraft allowing direct exploration of the third dimen sion of the heliosphere. Since 1992, when it has entered a polar orbit that takes it 0 up to 80 latitude, the spacecraft's performance has been flawless and the mission has provided excellent data from a superbly matched set of instruments. Perhaps the most exciting observation during Ulysses' first passage towards the south pole of the Sun was a strong and long lasting CIR whose energetic particle effects were observed up to unexpectedly high latitudes. These observations, documented in a number of publications, stimulated considerable new theoretical work."
Table of Contents
Foreword. Introduction;
A. Balogh, et al. Introductory Papers. Solar Origin and Interplanetary Evolution of Stream Interfaces;
R.J. Forsyth, E. Marsch. Formation and Evolution of Corotating Interaction Regions and Their Three-Dimensional Structure;
J.T. Gosling, V.J. Pizzo. Voyager 2 Observations of Corotating Interaction Regions (CIRs) in the Outer Heliosphere;
A.J. Lazarus, et al. Development and Effects of Turbulence in Connection with CIRs;
T.S. Horbury and J.M. Schmidt. CIR Associated Energetic Particles in the Inner and Middle Heliosphere;
G.M. Mason, T.R. Sanderson. Observation of Injection and Pre-Acceleration Processes in the Slow Solar Wind;
G. Gloeckler. Injection and Accleration Processes in Corotating Interaction Regions: Theoretical Concepts;
M. Scholer. Mechanisms for Latitudinal Transport of Energetic Particles in the Heliosphere;
L.A. Fisk, J.R. Jokipii. Modulation of Galactic Cosmic Rays at Solar Minimum;
B. Heber, R.A. Burger. Working Group Reports. The Solar Origin of Corotating Interaction Regions and Their Formation in the Inner Helisphere - Report of Working Group 1;
A. Balogh, et al. CIR Morphology, Turbulence, Discontinuities, and Energetic Particles - Report of Working Group 2;
N.U. Crooker, et al. Corotating Interaction Regions at High Latitudes - Report or Working Group 3;
H. Kunow, et al. Corotating Interaction Regions in the Outer Heliosphere - Report of Working Group 4;
P.R. Gazis, et al. Modulation of Cosmic Rays and Anomalous Components by CIRs - Report of Working Group 5;
R.B. McKibben. Origin, Injection, and Acceleration of CIR Particles: Observations - Report of Working Group 6;
G.M. Mason, et al. Origin, Injection, and Acceleration of CIR Particles: Theory &endash; Report of Working Group 7;
M. Scholer, et al. Glossary;
A. Balogh, et al. List of Acronyms. Author Index. List of Participants.