Combined ∼10 eV to ∼344 MeV Particle Spectra and Pressures in the Heliosheath along the Voyager 2 Trajectory

Dialynas, Konstantinos; Galli, André; Dayeh, Maher A.; Cummings, Alan C.; Decker, Robert B.; Fuselier, Stephen A.; Gkioulidou, Matina; Roussos, Elias; Krimigis, Stamatios M.; Mitchell, Donald G.; Richardson, John D.; Opher, Merav (2020). Combined ∼10 eV to ∼344 MeV Particle Spectra and Pressures in the Heliosheath along the Voyager 2 Trajectory. Astrophysical Journal Letters, 905(2), L24. Institute of Physics Publishing IOP 10.3847/2041-8213/abcaaa

[img]
Preview
Text
Dialynas_2020_ApJL_905_L24.pdf - Published Version
Available under License Publisher holds Copyright.

Download (432kB) | Preview

We report a unique combination of ~10 eV to ~344 MeV in situ ion measurements from the Plasma Science (PLS), Low Energy Charged Particle (LECP), and Cosmic Ray Subsystem (CRS) experiments on the Voyager 2 (V2) spacecraft, and remotely sensed ~110 eV to ~55 keV energetic neutral atom (ENA) measurements from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) mission and Ion and Neutral Camera (INCA) on the Cassini mission. This combination is done over the time period from 2009 to the end of 2016, along the V2 trajectory, toward assessing the properties of the ion energy spectra inside the heliosheath. The combined energy spectra exhibit a series of softening and hardening breaks, providing important insights on the various ion acceleration processes inside the heliosheath. Ions in the <6 keV energy range dominate the total pressure distribution inside the heliosheath but the ion distributions at higher energies (>5.2 keV) provide a significant contribution to the total pressure. With the assumption that all ENAs (~110 eV to 55 keV) are created by charge-exchange interactions inside the heliosheath, we estimate that the magnetic field upstream at the heliopause required to balance the pressure from the heliosheath in the direction of V2 is ~0.67 nT. This number is consistent with the measured magnetic field at V2 from 2018 November, when the spacecraft entered interstellar space.

Item Type:

Journal Article (Original Article)

Division/Institute:

08 Faculty of Science > Physics Institute > Space Research and Planetary Sciences
08 Faculty of Science > Physics Institute

UniBE Contributor:

Galli, A

Subjects:

500 Science > 520 Astronomy
600 Technology > 620 Engineering
500 Science > 530 Physics

ISSN:

2041-8205

Publisher:

Institute of Physics Publishing IOP

Language:

English

Submitter:

Dora Ursula Zimmerer

Date Deposited:

25 Feb 2021 11:02

Last Modified:

05 Dec 2022 15:47

Publisher DOI:

10.3847/2041-8213/abcaaa

BORIS DOI:

10.48350/152532

URI:

https://boris.unibe.ch/id/eprint/152532

Actions (login required)

Edit item Edit item
Provide Feedback