All the current global models of the heliosphere are based on the assumption
that the magnetic field in the heliosheath, in the region close to the
heliopause is laminar. We argue that in that region the heliospheric magnetic
field is not laminar but instead consists of magnetic bubbles. Recently, we
proposed that the annihilation of the "sectored" magnetic field within the
heliosheath as it is compressed on its approach to the heliopause produces the
anomalous cosmic rays and also energetic electrons. As a product of the
annihilation of the sectored magnetic field, densely-packed magnetic
islands/bubbles are produced. These magnetic islands/bubbles will be convected
with the ambient flows as the sector region is carried to higher latitudes
filling the heliosheath. We further argue that the magnetic islands/bubbles
will develop upstream within the heliosheath. As a result, the magnetic field
in the heliosheath sector region will be disordered well upstream of the
heliopause. We present a 3D MHD simulation with very high numerical resolution
that captures the north-south boundaries of the sector region. We show that due
to the high pressure of the interstellar magnetic field a north-south asymmetry
develops such that the disordered sectored region fills a large portion of the
northern part of the heliosphere with a smaller extension in the southern
hemisphere. We suggest that this scenario is supported by the following changes
that occur around 2008 and from 2009.16 onward: a) the sudden decrease in the
intensity of low energy electrons detected by Voyager 2; b) a sharp reduction
in the intensity of fluctuations of the radial flow; and c) the dramatic
differences in intensity trends between GCRs at V1 and 2. We argue that these
observations are a consequence of V2 leaving the sector region of disordered
field during these periods and crossing into a region of unipolar laminar
field.Comment: 36 pages, 15 figures, submitted to Ap