Has Voyager 1 really crossed the heliopause?
Creators
- 1. Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward St, Ann Arbor, MI 48109-2143 (United States)
Description
The Voyager 1 spacecraft is currently in the vicinity of the heliopause, which separates the heliosphere from the local interstellar medium. There has been a precipitous decrease in particles accelerated in the heliosphere, and a substantial increase in galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). The evidence is unclear, however, as to whether Voyager 1 has crossed the heliopause into the local interstellar medium, or remains within the heliosheath. In this paper we propose a test that will determine whether Voyager 1 has crossed the heliopause: If Voyager 1 remains in the heliosheath, the high plasma densities must be due to compressed solar wind, with the consequence that Voyager 1 will encounter another current sheet, where the polarity of the magnetic field reverses. Voyager 1 observations can be used to predict that the next current sheet crossing is likely to occur during 2015. A prediction is also provided as to what the Voyager 2 plasma detector will measure in the next few years
Availability note (English)
Available from http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/1742-6596/577/1/012011Additional details
Identifiers
Publishing Information
- Journal Title
- Journal of Physics. Conference Series (Online)
- Journal Volume
- 577
- Journal Issue
- 1
- Journal Page Range
- [10 p.]
- ISSN
- 1742-6596
Conference
- Title
- Voyager, IBEX, and the Interstellar Medium
- Acronym
- 13. Annual International Astrophysics Conference
- Dates
- 10 Mar 2014
- Place
- Myrtle Beach, SC (United States)
INIS
- Country of Publication
- United Kingdom
- Country of Input or Organization
- International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)
- INIS RN
- 47025032
- Subject category
- S79: ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY;
- Resource subtype / Literary indicator
- Conference
- Descriptors DEI
- ASTROPHYSICS; COSMIC RADIATION; HELIOSPHERE; INTERSTELLAR MAGNETIC FIELDS; PLASMA DENSITY; SOLAR WIND; VOYAGER SPACE PROBES
- Descriptors DEC
- ATMOSPHERES; IONIZING RADIATIONS; MAGNETIC FIELDS; PHYSICS; RADIATIONS; SOLAR ACTIVITY; SOLAR ATMOSPHERE; SPACE VEHICLES; STELLAR ACTIVITY; STELLAR ATMOSPHERES; STELLAR WINDS; VEHICLES