MAGNETIC FLUX BALANCE IN THE HELIOSPHERE

Journal Article · Wed Oct 20 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/722/2/L132· OSTI ID:21452751

Schwadron, N A ^[1]; Connick, D E; Smith, C ^[2]

---

1. Department of Astronomy, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215 (United States)
2. Physics Department, Space Science Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States)

Understanding the evolution of magnetic flux in the heliosphere remains an unresolved issue. The current solar minimum between cycles 23 and 24 is anomalously long, which gives rare insight into the long-term evolution of heliospheric magnetic flux when the coronal mass ejection (CME) rate and the flux emergence rate from CMEs were very low. The precipitous drop of heliospheric magnetic flux to levels lower than have ever been observed directly shows that there may be a persistent loss of open magnetic flux through disconnection, the reconnection between opposite polarity heliospheric magnetic field lines relatively near the Sun (beneath the Alfven point). Here, we develop a model for the levels of magnetic flux in the inner heliosphere balancing new flux injected by CMEs, flux lost through disconnection, and closed flux lost through interchange reconnection near the Sun. This magnetic flux balance is a fundamental property that regulates the plasma and radiation environment of our solar system.

• OSTI ID: 21452751
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 722, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/722/2/L132; ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
HELIOSPHERE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FLUX
MASS
SOLAR SYSTEM
SOLAR SYSTEM EVOLUTION
SOLAR WIND
STAR EVOLUTION
SUN
TOPOLOGY
ATMOSPHERES
EVOLUTION
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
MATHEMATICS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE
STARS
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR WINDS