Plasma and Variability in the Heliosheath

[摘要] Voyager 2 (V2) is making the first direct plasma measurements of the heliosheath and is moving outward about 3 AU/yr. This paper has two foci. It provides an update on plasma conditions in the heliosheath out to 108 AU and discusses the variability of plasma parameters in the heliosheath. The plasma speed continues to be on average constant across the heliosheath and the flow continues to turn tailward, with a flow angle greater than 70° in 2014. The average density and temperature have remained roughly constant since an increase in 2011. The heliosheath continues to be highly variable; this paper shows examples of small- scale variability and shows the changes of the plasma parameters on various scales. Future observations of plasma in the local interstellar medium (LISM) are discussed.

[发布机构] Kavli Center for Astrophysics and Space Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge; MA; 02139, United States^1

[效力级别] 天文学 [学科分类] 天文学(综合)

[关键词] Direct plasma;Flow angles;Future observations;Heliosheath;Local interstellar medium;Plasma conditions;Plasma parameter;Small scale variability