Interpretation and consequences of large‐scale magnetic variances observed at high heliographic latitude

Abstract

We consider recent Ulysses observations of the large‐scale variances in the transverse components of the interplanetary magnetic field. A previously‐suggested theory is shown to provide a good fit to the observed spatial variation and level of the fluctuations. The transport of cosmic rays in the heliosphere will be significantly affected by these fluctuations. In addition to impeding the inward, radial diffusive and drift access of cosmic rays over the poles, the magnetic fluctuations imply a large latitudinal diffusion, caused primarily by the field‐line mixing, or random walk.