On the Origin of Ortho-Gardenhose Heliospheric Flux

Abstract

Parker-spiral theory predicts that the heliospheric magnetic field (HMF) will have components of opposite polarity radially toward the Sun and tangentially antiparallel to the solar rotation direction (i.e., in Geocentric Solar Ecliptic (GSE) coordinates, with BX/ BY< 0). This theory explains the average orientation of the HMF very well indeed but does not predict the so-called “ortho-gardenhose” (hereafter OGH) flux with BX/ BY> 0 which is frequently observed. We here study the occurrence and structure of OGH flux, as seen in near-Earth space (heliocentric distance r=1AU) by the Wind and Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft (for 1995 – 2017, inclusive) and by the Helios-1 and -2 spacecraft at 0.29AU