Connecting the interstellar magnetic field at the heliosphere to the Loop I superbubble

[摘要] The local interstellar magnetic field affects both the heliosphere and the surrounding cluster of interstellar clouds (CLIC). Measurements of linearly polarized starlight provide the only test of the magnetic field threading the CLIC. Polarization measurements of the CLIC magnetic field show multiple local magnetic structures, one of which is aligned with the magnetic field traced by the center of the "ribbon" of energetic neutral atoms discovered by the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX). Comparisons between the bulk motion of the CLIC through the local standard of rest, the magnetic field direction, the geometric center of Loop I, and the polarized dust bridge extending from the heliosphere toward the North Polar Spur direction all suggest that the CLIC is part of the rim region of the Loop I superbubble.

[发布机构] Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, Chicago; IL; 60637, United States^1;Finnish Centre for Astronomy with ESO, University of Turku, Finland^2;Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos; NM, United States^3;Inst de Astronomia, Geofisica e Ciencias Atmosfericas, Universidade de Sao Paulo, Brazil^4;Southwest Research Inst, TX and University of Texas, San Antonio, San Antonio; TX, United States^5;Space Science Center, University of New Hampshire, Durham; NH, United States^6;Department of Astronomy, University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz; CA, United States^7

[效力级别] 天文学 [学科分类] 天文学(综合)

[关键词] Energetic neutral atoms;Geometric center;Interstellar clouds;Interstellar magnetic fields;Linearly polarized;Magnetic field direction;Measurements of;Polarization measurements