Ulysses Above the Sun's South Pole: An Introduction

Abstract

Ulysses has explored the field and particle environment of the sun's polar region. The solar wind speed was fast and nearly constant above -50^circ latitude. Compositional differences were observed in slow (low-latitude) solar wind and in fast (high-latitude) solar wind. The radial magnetic field did not change with latitude, implying that polar cap magnetic fields are transported toward the equator. The intensity of galactic cosmic rays was nearly independent of latitude. Their access to the polar region is opposed by outward-traveling, large amplitude waves in the magnetic field.