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Title: Energetic neutral atoms measured by the interstellar boundary explorer (IBEX): evidence for multiple heliosheath populations

Abstract

Energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) observed by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) provide powerful diagnostics about the origin of the progenitor ion populations and the physical mechanisms responsible for their production. In this paper, we extend the work of Desai et al. and Fuselier et al. and combine and compare ENA spectra from the first 3 yr of observations by the IBEX-Hi and -Lo ENA imagers along the lines-of-sight (LOSs) from the inner heliosphere through to the locations of Voyager 1 and 2 with results from an updated physics-based model of the three-dimensional heliosphere and its constituent ion populations. Our results show that (1) IBEX ENA fluxes and spectra above ~0.7 keV measured along the LOSs of the Voyagers are consistent with several models in which the parent pickup ion (PUI) populations originate in the inner heliosheath, and (2) a significant fraction of lower energy ENAs between ~0.1-0.5 keV may originate from interstellar neutral gas charge-exchanging with a non-thermalized (hot) population of PUIs in the outer heliosheath beyond the heliopause. Here we discuss the implications of ENAs observed by IBEX originating from distinct parent populations as well as from two distinct locations in the heliospheric interface. In conclusion, these results indicatemore » that ENA spectral measurements at various energies can be used to remotely probe distinct physical processes operating in vastly different regions of the distant heliosphere.« less

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [3];  [5];  [2];  [1];  [5];  [6];  [2];  [5];  [5]
  1. Southwest Research Inst. (SwRI), San Antonio, TX (United States); Univ. of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX (United States). Dept. of Physics and Astronomy
  2. Space Research Centre, Warsaw (Poland). Inst. of Physics (PAS)
  3. Southwest Research Inst. (SwRI), San Antonio, TX (United States)
  4. Los Alamos National Lab. (LANL), Los Alamos, NM (United States)
  5. Univ. of Alabama in Huntsville, AL (United States). Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR)
  6. Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham, NH (United States). Space Science Center, Dept. of Physics
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Alabama, Huntsville, AL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES) (SC-24): NASA; Polish National Science Centre (NCN)
OSTI Identifier:
1326045
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0008334; 2012-06-M-ST9-00455
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
The Astrophysical Journal
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 780; Journal Issue: 1; Journal ID: ISSN 0004-637X
Publisher:
Institute of Physics (IOP)
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS; ISM: atoms; shock waves; solar wind; Sun: heliosphere

Citation Formats

Desai, M. I., Allegrini, F. A., Bzowski, M., Dayeh, M. A., Funsten, H., Fuselier, S. A., Heerikhuisen, J., Kubiak, M. A., McComas, D. J., Pogorelov, N. V., Schwadron, N. A., Sokół, J. M., Zank, G. P., and Zirnstein, E. J. Energetic neutral atoms measured by the interstellar boundary explorer (IBEX): evidence for multiple heliosheath populations. United States: N. p., 2013. Web. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/780/1/98.
Desai, M. I., Allegrini, F. A., Bzowski, M., Dayeh, M. A., Funsten, H., Fuselier, S. A., Heerikhuisen, J., Kubiak, M. A., McComas, D. J., Pogorelov, N. V., Schwadron, N. A., Sokół, J. M., Zank, G. P., & Zirnstein, E. J. Energetic neutral atoms measured by the interstellar boundary explorer (IBEX): evidence for multiple heliosheath populations. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/780/1/98
Desai, M. I., Allegrini, F. A., Bzowski, M., Dayeh, M. A., Funsten, H., Fuselier, S. A., Heerikhuisen, J., Kubiak, M. A., McComas, D. J., Pogorelov, N. V., Schwadron, N. A., Sokół, J. M., Zank, G. P., and Zirnstein, E. J. Fri . "Energetic neutral atoms measured by the interstellar boundary explorer (IBEX): evidence for multiple heliosheath populations". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/780/1/98. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1326045.
@article{osti_1326045,
title = {Energetic neutral atoms measured by the interstellar boundary explorer (IBEX): evidence for multiple heliosheath populations},
author = {Desai, M. I. and Allegrini, F. A. and Bzowski, M. and Dayeh, M. A. and Funsten, H. and Fuselier, S. A. and Heerikhuisen, J. and Kubiak, M. A. and McComas, D. J. and Pogorelov, N. V. and Schwadron, N. A. and Sokół, J. M. and Zank, G. P. and Zirnstein, E. J.},
abstractNote = {Energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) observed by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) provide powerful diagnostics about the origin of the progenitor ion populations and the physical mechanisms responsible for their production. In this paper, we extend the work of Desai et al. and Fuselier et al. and combine and compare ENA spectra from the first 3 yr of observations by the IBEX-Hi and -Lo ENA imagers along the lines-of-sight (LOSs) from the inner heliosphere through to the locations of Voyager 1 and 2 with results from an updated physics-based model of the three-dimensional heliosphere and its constituent ion populations. Our results show that (1) IBEX ENA fluxes and spectra above ~0.7 keV measured along the LOSs of the Voyagers are consistent with several models in which the parent pickup ion (PUI) populations originate in the inner heliosheath, and (2) a significant fraction of lower energy ENAs between ~0.1-0.5 keV may originate from interstellar neutral gas charge-exchanging with a non-thermalized (hot) population of PUIs in the outer heliosheath beyond the heliopause. Here we discuss the implications of ENAs observed by IBEX originating from distinct parent populations as well as from two distinct locations in the heliospheric interface. In conclusion, these results indicate that ENA spectral measurements at various energies can be used to remotely probe distinct physical processes operating in vastly different regions of the distant heliosphere.},
doi = {10.1088/0004-637X/780/1/98},
journal = {The Astrophysical Journal},
number = 1,
volume = 780,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Dec 13 00:00:00 EST 2013},
month = {Fri Dec 13 00:00:00 EST 2013}
}

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Cited by: 42 works
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Works referencing / citing this record:

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