ULYSSES OBSERVATIONS OF ALFVEN WAVES IN THE SOUTHERN AND NORTHERN SOLAR HEMISPHERES

Alfven waves with periods from < 1 to > 10 hours are shown to be conti nuously present in the sun's south and north polar regions. Below appr oximate to 30 degrees latitude, as revealed by the rapid traversal of the equatorial region by Ulysses, the wave power averaged over a solar rotation decreases abruptly. The correlations between magnetic field and solar wind velocity fluctuations, upon which the wave identificati on is based, indicate outward propagation in both hemispheres. The Uly sses observations are consistent with many of the properties of Alfven waves seen in the ecliptic in association with high speed streams. So me implications of the waves in the polar regions are explored. Becaus e of the long wavelengths, which reach approximate to 0.3AU, the waves resonate with 10-10(3)MeV/nucIeon galactic cosmic rays and oppose the ir entry into the polar caps. The wave amplitudes imply a contribution to the acceleration of the high latitude wind due to momentum transfe r of only a few percent.