Electron heating of inflowing interstellar gas

The heating of inflowing interstellar gas by solar electrons is calculated. In the present work it is assumed that the thermal energy of the electrons is constant with distance from the Sun and that the inflowing gas follows Keplerian trajectories, and the contours of constant temperature so obtained are given. At a heliocentric distance of 1 AU the estimated temperature is 500 K upwind and 2000 K downwind for hydrogen atoms, and is 240 K downwind and 100 K upwind for helium