Mesoscale Variations in the Heliospheric Magnetic Field and their Consequences in the Outer Heliosphere

Abstract

This paper considers several different aspects of the magnetic field in the outer heliosphere and their consequences. It is noted first that many features of the heliospheric magnetic field are set back at the Sun, and that these processes result in variations in the heliospheric field on several distinct spatial scales. An equation is discussed that describes the interactions of mesoscale variations in the magnetic field with small‐scale turbulence, and it is argued that this interaction can account for the creation of the observed superthermal tails on the particle distributions, and alter the expected behavior of the magnetic field at the termination shock. © 2004 American Institute of Physics