DOE PAGES title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: The Heliotail: Theory and Modeling

Abstract

Physical processes are discussed related to the heliotail which is formed when the solar wind interacts with the local interstellar medium. Although astrotails are commonly observed, the heliotail observations are only indirect. As a consequence, the direct comparison of the observed astrophysical objects and the Sun is impossible. This requires proper theoretical understanding of the heliotail formation and evolution, and numerical simulations in sufficiently large computational boxes. In this paper, we review some previous results related to the heliotail flow and show new simulations which demonstrate that the solar wind collimation inside the Parker spiral field lines diverted by the heliopause toward the heliotail is unrealistic. On the contrary, solar cycle effects ensure that the solar wind density reaches its largest values near the solar equatorial plane. We also argue that a realistic heliotail should be very long to account for the observed anisotropy of 1-10 TeV cosmic rays.

Authors:
 [1]
  1. Univ. of Alabama, Huntsville, AL (United States). Dept. of Space Science
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Univ. of Alabama, Huntsville, AL (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)
OSTI Identifier:
1326082
Grant/Contract Number:  
SC0008334; NNX14AJ53G; NNX14AF41G; NNX14AF43G; NNX15AN72G; NNX16AG83G; OCI-1144120; SMD-15-5860
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
Journal of Physics. Conference Series
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 719; Journal ID: ISSN 1742-6588
Publisher:
IOP Publishing
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS

Citation Formats

Pogorelov, N. V. The Heliotail: Theory and Modeling. United States: N. p., 2016. Web. doi:10.1088/1742-6596/719/1/012013.
Pogorelov, N. V. The Heliotail: Theory and Modeling. United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/719/1/012013
Pogorelov, N. V. Tue . "The Heliotail: Theory and Modeling". United States. https://doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/719/1/012013. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1326082.
@article{osti_1326082,
title = {The Heliotail: Theory and Modeling},
author = {Pogorelov, N. V.},
abstractNote = {Physical processes are discussed related to the heliotail which is formed when the solar wind interacts with the local interstellar medium. Although astrotails are commonly observed, the heliotail observations are only indirect. As a consequence, the direct comparison of the observed astrophysical objects and the Sun is impossible. This requires proper theoretical understanding of the heliotail formation and evolution, and numerical simulations in sufficiently large computational boxes. In this paper, we review some previous results related to the heliotail flow and show new simulations which demonstrate that the solar wind collimation inside the Parker spiral field lines diverted by the heliopause toward the heliotail is unrealistic. On the contrary, solar cycle effects ensure that the solar wind density reaches its largest values near the solar equatorial plane. We also argue that a realistic heliotail should be very long to account for the observed anisotropy of 1-10 TeV cosmic rays.},
doi = {10.1088/1742-6596/719/1/012013},
journal = {Journal of Physics. Conference Series},
number = ,
volume = 719,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue May 31 00:00:00 EDT 2016},
month = {Tue May 31 00:00:00 EDT 2016}
}

Journal Article:
Free Publicly Available Full Text
Publisher's Version of Record

Citation Metrics:
Cited by: 10 works
Citation information provided by
Web of Science

Save / Share:

Works referenced in this record:

Structure of the region of solar wind?Interstellar medium interaction and its influence on H atoms penetrating the solar wind
journal, December 1979

  • Baranov, V. B.; Lebedev, M. G.; Ruderman, M. S.
  • Astrophysics and Space Science, Vol. 66, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1007/BF00650016

Solar Wind Tail and the Anisotropic Production of Fast Hydrogen Atoms
journal, August 1969


Shock-free Deceleration of the Solar Wind?
journal, September 1971


Local interstellar medium
journal, March 1975


Sun and comets as sources in an external flow
journal, May 1976

  • Wallis, M. K.; Dryer, M.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 205
  • DOI: 10.1086/154345

Three-component gas-dynamic model of the interaction of the solar wind with the interstellar medium
journal, January 1983

  • Baranov, V. B.; Ermakov, M. K.; Lebedev, M. G.
  • Fluid Dynamics, Vol. 17, Issue 5
  • DOI: 10.1007/BF01090158

The influence of the interface between the heliosphere and the local interstellar medium on the penetration of the H atoms to the solar system
journal, July 1991

  • Baranov, V. B.; Lebedev, M. G.; Malama, Iu. G.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 375
  • DOI: 10.1086/170194

Model of the solar wind interaction with the local interstellar medium: Numerical solution of self-consistent problem
journal, January 1993

  • Baranov, V. B.; Malama, Yu. G.
  • Journal of Geophysical Research, Vol. 98, Issue A9
  • DOI: 10.1029/93JA01171

Numerical Simulations of Interaction between Stellar Wind and Interstellar Medium
journal, April 1989

  • Matsuda, T.; Fujimoto, Y.; Shima, E.
  • Progress of Theoretical Physics, Vol. 81, Issue 4
  • DOI: 10.1143/PTP.81.810

Interaction of the solar wind with the local interstellar medium
journal, November 1995

  • Pauls, H. L.; Zank, G. P.; Williams, L. L.
  • Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 100, Issue A11
  • DOI: 10.1029/95JA02023

Interaction of the solar wind with the local interstellar medium: A multifluid approach
journal, October 1996

  • Zank, G. P.; Pauls, H. L.; Williams, L. L.
  • Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 101, Issue A10
  • DOI: 10.1029/96JA02127

Interaction of a nonuniform solar wind with the local interstellar medium: 2. A two-fluid model
journal, September 1997

  • Pauls, H. L.; Zank, G. P.
  • Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 102, Issue A9
  • DOI: 10.1029/97JA01716

Influence of the interstellar magnetic field direction on the shape of the global heliopause
journal, January 1998

  • Pogorelov, Nikolai V.; Matsuda, Takuya
  • Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 103, Issue A1
  • DOI: 10.1029/97JA02446

Heliosphere in the magnetized local interstellar medium: Results of a three-dimensional MHD simulation
journal, February 1998

  • Linde, Timur J.; Gombosi, Tamas I.; Roe, Philip L.
  • Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol. 103, Issue A2
  • DOI: 10.1029/97JA02144

Three‐dimensional Features of the Outer Heliosphere due to Coupling between the Interstellar and Interplanetary Magnetic Fields. II. The Presence of Neutral Hydrogen Atoms
journal, June 2006

  • Pogorelov, Nikolai V.; Zank, Gary P.; Ogino, Tatsuki
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 644, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1086/503703

Direction of the interstellar H atom inflow in the heliosphere: Role of the interstellar magnetic field
journal, June 2005


The Effects of Global Heliospheric Asymmetries on Energetic Neutral Atom Sky Maps
journal, January 2007

  • Heerikhuisen, J.; Pogorelov, N. V.; Zank, G. P.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 655, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1086/511764

Probing Heliospheric Asymmetries with an MHD-Kinetic model
journal, February 2008

  • Pogorelov, Nikolai V.; Heerikhuisen, Jacob; Zank, Gary P.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 675, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1086/529547

Global Observations of the Interstellar Interaction from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX)
journal, October 2009


Comparison of Interstellar Boundary Explorer Observations with 3D Global Heliospheric Models
journal, October 2009


Kinetic-Gasdynamic Modeling of the Heliospheric Interface
journal, June 2009


HELIOSPHERIC ASYMMETRIES AND 2-3 kHz RADIO EMISSION UNDER STRONG INTERSTELLAR MAGNETIC FIELD CONDITIONS
journal, March 2009

  • Pogorelov, Nikolai V.; Heerikhuisen, Jacob; Mitchell, Jeremy J.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 695, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/695/1/L31

DETECTING NEUTRAL ATOMS FROM BEYOND THE HELIOPAUSE WITH INTERSTELLAR BOUNDARY EXPLORER
journal, March 2009


PICK-UP IONS IN THE OUTER HELIOSHEATH: A POSSIBLE MECHANISM FOR THE INTERSTELLAR BOUNDARY EXplorer RIBBON
journal, December 2009


SCATTER-FREE PICKUP IONS BEYOND THE HELIOPAUSE AS A MODEL FOR THE INTERSTELLAR BOUNDARY EXPLORER RIBBON
journal, May 2010


Microstructure of the Heliospheric Termination Shock: Implications for Energetic Neutral atom Observations
journal, December 2009


An Estimate of the Nearby Interstellar Magnetic Field Using Neutral Atoms
journal, August 2011


INTERSTELLAR BOUNDARY EXPLORER MEASUREMENTS AND MAGNETIC FIELD IN THE VICINITY OF THE HELIOPAUSE
journal, November 2011

  • Pogorelov, Nikolai V.; Heerikhuisen, Jacob; Zank, Gary P.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 742, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/742/2/104

Electron Thermal Conduction as a Possible Physical Mechanism to make the Inner Heliosheath Thinner
journal, October 2014

  • Izmodenov, V. V.; Alexashov, D. B.; Ruderman, M. S.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 795, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/795/1/L7

Direction of interstellar hydrogen flow in the heliosphere: theoretical modelling and comparison with SOHO/SWAN data
journal, November 2014

  • Katushkina, O. A.; Izmodenov, V. V.; Alexashov, D. B.
  • Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Vol. 446, Issue 3
  • DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stu2218

SIMULATIONS OF A DYNAMIC SOLAR CYCLE AND ITS EFFECTS ON THE INTERSTELLAR BOUNDARY EXPLORER RIBBON AND GLOBALLY DISTRIBUTED ENERGETIC NEUTRAL ATOM FLUX
journal, April 2015

  • Zirnstein, E. J.; Heerikhuisen, J.; Pogorelov, N. V.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 804, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/804/1/5

LOCAL INTERSTELLAR MAGNETIC FIELD DETERMINED FROM THE INTERSTELLAR BOUNDARY EXPLORER RIBBON
journal, February 2016


Deflection of the Interstellar Neutral Hydrogen Flow Across the Heliospheric Interface
journal, March 2005


Kinetic vs. multi-fluid models of H atoms in the heliospheric interface: a comparison
journal, August 2005


Comparing various multi-component global heliosphere models
journal, April 2008


Influence of the Interstellar Magnetic Field and Neutrals on the Shape of the Outer Heliosphere
journal, September 2008


The Stellar-Wind Regions.
journal, July 1961

  • Parker, E. N.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 134
  • DOI: 10.1086/147124

On the Possibility of a Strong Magnetic Field in the Local Interstellar Medium
journal, April 2004

  • Florinski, V.; Pogorelov, N. V.; Zank, G. P.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 604, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1086/382017

The interstellar wake of the solar wind
journal, November 1974


Twisted Magnetic Fields.
journal, September 1956

  • Roberts, P. H.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 124
  • DOI: 10.1086/146238

The Heliotail
journal, October 2015

  • Pogorelov, N. V.; Borovikov, S. N.; Heerikhuisen, J.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 812, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/812/1/L6

A Model of the Heliosphere with jets
journal, July 2015


Toward more Realistic Analytic Models of the Heliotail: Incorporating Magnetic Flattening via Distortion Flows
journal, December 2015


Global Anisotropies in TeV Cosmic Rays Related to the Sun's Local Galactic Environment from IBEX
journal, February 2014


Draping of the Interstellar Magnetic Field over the Heliopause: a Passive Field Model
journal, May 2015

  • Isenberg, Philip A.; Forbes, Terry G.; Möbius, Eberhard
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 805, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/805/2/153

Nonstationary Phenomena in the Solar Wind and InterstellarMedium Interaction
journal, January 2000

  • Pogorelov, Nikolai V.
  • Astrophysics and Space Science, Vol. 274, Issue 1/2, p. 115-122
  • DOI: 10.1023/A:1026539704842

A model for the tail region of the heliospheric interface
journal, January 2003

  • Izmodenov, V. V.; Alexashov, D. B.
  • Astronomy Letters, Vol. 29, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1134/1.1537379

WARMER LOCAL INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM: A POSSIBLE RESOLUTION OF THE ULYSSES - IBEX ENIGMA
journal, February 2015


Structure of the heliospheric current sheet from plasma convection in time-dependent heliospheric models
journal, June 2010


Plasma near the Heliosheath: Observations and Modeling
journal, January 2011

  • Borovikov, Sergey N.; Pogorelov, Nikolai V.; Burlaga, Leonard F.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 728, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/728/1/L21

Magnetized jets Driven by the sun: the Structure of the Heliosphere Revisited
journal, February 2015


The Heliosphere's Interstellar Interaction: No Bow Shock
journal, May 2012


Three-Dimensional Kinetic-Mhd Model of the Global Heliosphere with the Heliopause-Surface Fitting
journal, October 2015

  • Izmodenov, V. V.; Alexashov, D. B.
  • The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, Vol. 220, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.1088/0067-0049/220/2/32

HELIOSPHERIC INFLUENCE ON THE ANISOTROPY OF TeV COSMIC RAYS
journal, June 2014


Kinetic Versus Multi-Fluid Approach for Interstellar Neutrals in the Heliosphere: Exploration of the Interstellar Magnetic Field Effects
journal, May 2011

  • Alouani-Bibi, Fathallah; Opher, Merav; Alexashov, Dimitry
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 734, Issue 1
  • DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/734/1/45

THE HELIOTAIL REVEALED BY THE INTERSTELLAR BOUNDARY EXPLORER
journal, June 2013


Works referencing / citing this record:

Heliosheath Processes and the Structure of the Heliopause: Modeling Energetic Particles, Cosmic Rays, and Magnetic Fields
journal, April 2017


Modeling Coronal Mass Ejections with the Multi-Scale Fluid-Kinetic Simulation Suite
journal, May 2017


All-Sky Measurement of the Anisotropy of Cosmic Rays at 10 TeV and Mapping of the Local Interstellar Magnetic Field
text, January 2018

  • Collaboration, Hawc; Abeysekara, A. U.; Alfaro, R.
  • Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
  • DOI: 10.3204/pubdb-2019-00395

Simulation of the Solar Wind Dynamic Pressure Increase in 2014 and Its Effect on Energetic Neutral Atom Fluxes from the Heliosphere
journal, May 2018

  • Zirnstein, E. J.; Heerikhuisen, J.; McComas, D. J.
  • The Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 859, Issue 2
  • DOI: 10.3847/1538-4357/aac016

All-sky Measurement of the Anisotropy of Cosmic Rays at 10 TeV and Mapping of the Local Interstellar Magnetic Field
journal, January 2019


All-Sky Measurement of the Anisotropy of Cosmic Rays at 10 TeV and Mapping of the Local Interstellar Magnetic Field
text, January 2019

  • Abeysekara, A. U.; Alfaro, R.; Alvarez, C.
  • Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron, DESY, Hamburg
  • DOI: 10.3204/pubdb-2020-00512