Interplanetary Disturbances

Abstract

The Sun emits the variable solar wind which interacts with the very local interstellar medium to form the heliosphere. Hence variations in solar activity strongly influence interplanetary space, from the Suns surface out to the edge of the heliosphere. Superimposed on the solar wind are mass ejections from the Sun and/or its corona which disturb the interplanetary medium - hence the name interplanetary disturbances. Interplanetary disturbances are the sources of large-scale particle acceleration, of disturbances in the Earths magnetosphere, of modulations of galactic cosmic rays, in short, they are the prime focus for space weather studies.