DRAPING OF THE INTERSTELLAR MAGNETIC FIELD OVER THE HELIOPAUSE: A PASSIVE FIELD MODEL
- Space Science Center and Department of Physics, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 (United States)
As the local interstellar plasma flows past our heliosphere, it is slowed and deflected around the magnetic obstacle of the heliopause. The interstellar magnetic field, frozen into this plasma, then becomes draped around the heliopause in a characteristic manner. We derive the analytical solution for this draped magnetic field in the limit of weak field intensity, assuming an ideal potential flow around the heliopause, which we model as a Rankine half-body. We compare the structure of the model magnetic field with observed properties of the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) ribbon and with in situ observations at the Voyager 1 spacecraft. We find reasonable qualitative agreement, given the idealizations of the model. This agreement lends support to the secondary ENA model of the IBEX ribbon and to the interpretation that Voyager 1 has crossed the heliopause. We also predict that the magnetic field measured by Voyager 2 after it crosses the heliopause will not be significantly rotated away from the direction of the undisturbed interstellar field.
- OSTI ID:
- 22522378
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 805, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Local interstellar magnetic field determined from the interstellar boundary explorer ribbon
INTERSTELLAR BOUNDARY EXPLORER MEASUREMENTS AND MAGNETIC FIELD IN THE VICINITY OF THE HELIOPAUSE