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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.
List of contents
Solar Origin and Interplanetary Evolution of Stream Interfaces.- Formation and Evolution of Corotating Interaction Regions and Their Three-Dimensional Structure.- Voyager 2 Observations of Corotating Interaction Regions (CIRs) in the Outer Heliosphere.- Development and Effects of Turbulence in Connection with C1Rs.- CIR Associated Energetic Particles in the Inner and Middle Heliosphere.- Observation of Injection and Pre-Acceleration Processes in the Slow Solar Wind.- Injection and Accleration Processes in Corotating Interaction Regions: Theoretical Concepts.- Mechanisms for Latitudinal Transport of Energetic Particles in the Heliosphere.- Modulation of Galactic Cosmic Rays at Solar Minimum.- The Solar Origin of Corotating Interaction Regions and Their Formation in the Inner Heliosphere - Report of Working Group 1.- CIR Morphology, Turbulence, Discontinuities, and Energetic Particles - Report of Working Group 2.- Corotating Interaction Regions at High Latitudes - Report of Working Group 3.- Corotating Interaction Regions in the Outer Heliosphere - Report of Working Group 4.- Modulation of Cosmic Rays and Anomalous Components by CIRs - Report of Working Group 5.- Origin, Injection, and Acceleration of CIR Particles: Observations - Report of Working Group 6.- Origin, Injection, and Acceleration of CIR Particles: Theory - Report of Working Group 7.- Epilogue.- List of Acronyms.- Author Index.- List of Participants.
Summary
Proceedings of an ISSI Workshop, 6-13 June 1998, Bern, Switzerland
