The paper represents the results of a comprehensive survey of low-energy proton bidirectional anisotropies and associated transient magnetic structures as observed in the 35-1600 keV energy range on ISEE-3 during the last solar maximum. The majority of observed bidirectional flow (BDF) events (more than 70 percent) are associated with isolated magnetic structures which are postulated to be an interplanetary manifestation of coronal mass ejection (CME) events. The observed BDF events can be qualitatively grouped into five classes depending on the field signature of the related magnetic structure and the association (or lack of association) with an interplanetary shock. Concerning the topology of the CME-related magnetic structures, the observations are interpreted as being consistent with a detached bubble, comprising closed loops or tightly wound helices.

ISEE 3 observations of low-energy proton bidirectional events and their relation to isolated interplanetary magnetic structures

Every two-ribbon flare observed during the Skylab period produced an observable coronal transient, provided the flare occurred close enough to the limb. The model presented here treats these two events as a combined process. Transients that occur without flares are believed to involve magnetic fields that are too weak to produce significant chromospheric emission. Adopting the hypothesis that the rising flare loop systems observed during two-ribbon flares are exhibiting magnetic reconnection, a model of a coronal transient is proposed which incorporates this reconnection process as the driving force. When two oppositely directed field lines reconnect a lower loop is created rooted to the solar surface (the flare loop) and an upper disconnected loop is produced which is free to rise. The magnetic flux of these upper loops is proposed as the driver for the transient. The force is produced by the increase in magnetic pressure under the filament and transient. A quantitative model is developed which treats the transient configuration in terms of four distinct parts- the transient itself with its magnetic field and material, the region just below the transient but above the filament, the filament with its magnetic field, and the reconnected flux beneath the filament. Two cases are considered - one in which all the prominence material rises with the transient and one in which the material is allowed to fall out of the transient. The rate of rise of the neutral line during the reconnection process is taken from the observations of the rising X-ray flare loop system during the 29 July, 1973 flare. The MHD equations for the system are reduced to four non-linear ordinary coupled differential equations which are solved using parameters believed to be realistic for solar conditions. The calculated velocity profiles, widths, etc., agree quite well with the observed properties of coronal transients as seen in white light. Since major flares are usually associated with a filament eruption about 10–15 min before the flare and since this model associates the transient with the filament eruption, we suspect that the transient is actually initiated some time before the actual flare itself.

Magnetic reconnection and coronal transients

In near time coincidence with the arrival of helium enriched plasma driving the shock wave disturbance of November 12-13, 1978, strong bi-directional streaming of solar wind electrons greater than about 80 eV was observed with Los Alamos instrumentation on ISEE 3. The streaming persisted for many hours simultaneously parallel and anti-parallel to the interplanetary magnetic field which was directed roughly perpendicular to the sun-satellite line. This example of bidirectional streaming cannot be explained by field line connection to the earth's bow shock or the outward propagating interplanetary shock which passed ISEE 3 approximately 16 hours earlier. The event is explained if the local interplanetary field was a part of a magnetic bottle rooted at the sun or a disconnected loop propagating outward.

Bi‐directional streaming of solar wind electrons >80 eV: ISEE evidence for a closed‐field structure within the driver gas of an interplanetary shock

The most notable contributions to our understanding of large-scale inhomogeneities in the solar wind have come from the following developments: the creation of realistic nonlinear models of solar wind stream interactions and evolution with increasing heliocentric distance; the careful observational study of solar wind stream structure, particularly that work that delineated the role of stream interactions and evolution in producing solar wind variability; the coming of age of radio scintillation measurements which have allowed the routine observation of stream flow far from the ecliptic; the discovery of coronal holes and their identification as the probable source of many recurrent solar wind streams; the development of nonspherically symmetric models of the coronal expansion which included effects of the coronal magnetic field; the recognition that alpha particle enhancements often identify material ejected from the sun at the time of large solar flares; the application of the Culgoora spectroheliograph to the study of type 2 and 4 radio bursts; the advent of low-frequency observations of radio bursts from the sun; and the observation and analysis of numerous mass ejections from the sun with both ground-based and satellite coronagraphs. The present report concentrates on the author's interpretation of the most outstanding developments in these and other areas. A comprehensive bibliography of all U.S. work and some foreign work in the field published or in press from January 1971 through November 1974 is attempted at the end of the article.

Large‐scale inhomogeneities in the solar wind of solar origin

During the period 1967-1973 data were obtained from five satellites in order to investigate bidirectional anisotropies in low-energy solar protons and to study electron events. Detailed consideration is given to the characteristics of two observed solar electron events. It is particularly noted that (1) the mean duration of bidirectional anisotropy is about 9 hours, (2) for most events the bidirectional anisotropy occurs at the minimum of the associated Forbush decrease, (3) the existence of bidirectional anisotropy in subrelativistic electrons associated with an interplanetary shock is not expected as anisotropies in impulsive solar electron events usually decay quickly within a time of not more than an hour at 1 AU, and (4) simultaneous observations show a significant difference in the nature of the angular distributions first between electrons and protons and second between different proton energies. The formation of bidirectional anisotropy by propagation and by energy change is also discussed.

Bidirectional anisotropies in solar cosmic ray events: Evidence for magnetic bottles

It has recently been suggested that the large scale structure of the interplanetary magnetic field can be deduced solely from solar wind speed measurements. Here it is emphasized that, in addition to speed measurements, direct measurements of the interplanetary field and indirect diagnostics such as measurements of the solar wind kinetic temperature and galactic and solar energetic particle modulations and anisotropics are required to distinguish between open and closed magnetic structures in the solar wind.

E. C. Roelof

Papers

A comment on the detection of closed magnetic structures in the solar wind