Cosmic ray modulation and the solar magnetic field

We show that the variations of the interplanetary magnetic field strength ( B) over a 22-year period are tracked by the inverted profile of the cosmic ray density measured by neutron monitors. We suggest that global changes in the Sun's magnetic field are more important for longterm modulation than m agnetic field enhancements resulting from the merging of high-speed flows a nd coronal mass ejections in the outer heliosphere. The unexpectedly close relationship that we find between the "tilt angle" of the heliospheric curr ent sheet and the cosmic ray density away from solar minimum for both polar ity states of the solar magnetic field may be accounted for by the anticorr elation between the cosmic ray density and field strength variations.