MAGNETIC FLUX CONSERVATION IN THE HELIOSHEATH
Voyager 1(V1) and Voyager 2(V2) have observed heliosheath plasma since 2005 December and 2007 August, respectively. The observed speed profiles are very different at the two spacecrafts. Speeds at V1 decreased to zero in 2010 while the average speed at V2 is a constant 150 km s[superscript –1] with...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Other Authors: | |
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | en_US |
| Published: |
IOP Publishing
2015
|
| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/93206 |
| _version_ | 1811084393939206144 |
|---|---|
| author | Burlaga, L. F. Decker, R. B. Drake, J. F. Ness, N. F. Opher, M. Richardson, John D. |
| author2 | MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research |
| author_facet | MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research Burlaga, L. F. Decker, R. B. Drake, J. F. Ness, N. F. Opher, M. Richardson, John D. |
| author_sort | Burlaga, L. F. |
| collection | MIT |
| description | Voyager 1(V1) and Voyager 2(V2) have observed heliosheath plasma since 2005 December and 2007 August, respectively. The observed speed profiles are very different at the two spacecrafts. Speeds at V1 decreased to zero in 2010 while the average speed at V2 is a constant 150 km s[superscript –1] with the direction rotating tailward. The magnetic flux is expected to be constant in these heliosheath flows. We show that the flux is constant at V2 but decreases by an order of magnitude at V1, even after accounting for divergence of the flows and changes in the solar field. If reconnection were responsible for this decrease, the magnetic field would lose 70% of its free energy to reconnection and the energy density released would be 0.6 eV cm[superscript –3]. |
| first_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:50:01Z |
| format | Article |
| id | mit-1721.1/93206 |
| institution | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
| language | en_US |
| last_indexed | 2024-09-23T12:50:01Z |
| publishDate | 2015 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | mit-1721.1/932062022-10-01T11:21:35Z MAGNETIC FLUX CONSERVATION IN THE HELIOSHEATH Burlaga, L. F. Decker, R. B. Drake, J. F. Ness, N. F. Opher, M. Richardson, John D. MIT Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research Richardson, John D. Voyager 1(V1) and Voyager 2(V2) have observed heliosheath plasma since 2005 December and 2007 August, respectively. The observed speed profiles are very different at the two spacecrafts. Speeds at V1 decreased to zero in 2010 while the average speed at V2 is a constant 150 km s[superscript –1] with the direction rotating tailward. The magnetic flux is expected to be constant in these heliosheath flows. We show that the flux is constant at V2 but decreases by an order of magnitude at V1, even after accounting for divergence of the flows and changes in the solar field. If reconnection were responsible for this decrease, the magnetic field would lose 70% of its free energy to reconnection and the energy density released would be 0.6 eV cm[superscript –3]. International Space Science Institute United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Jet Propulsion Laboratory (U.S.). Contract 959203) United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant NAG5-8947) United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Grant NNX08AE49G) 2015-01-29T19:37:03Z 2015-01-29T19:37:03Z 2012-12 2012-10 Article http://purl.org/eprint/type/JournalArticle 2041-8205 2041-8213 http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/93206 Richardson, J. D., L. F. Burlaga, R. B. Decker, J. F. Drake, N. F. Ness, and M. Opher. “MAGNETIC FLUX CONSERVATION IN THE HELIOSHEATH.” The Astrophysical Journal 762, no. 1 (December 12, 2012): L14. © 2013 The American Astronomical Society en_US http://dx.doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/762/1/l14 Astrophysical Journal. Letters Article is made available in accordance with the publisher's policy and may be subject to US copyright law. Please refer to the publisher's site for terms of use. application/pdf IOP Publishing American Astronomical Society |
| spellingShingle | Burlaga, L. F. Decker, R. B. Drake, J. F. Ness, N. F. Opher, M. Richardson, John D. MAGNETIC FLUX CONSERVATION IN THE HELIOSHEATH |
| title | MAGNETIC FLUX CONSERVATION IN THE HELIOSHEATH |
| title_full | MAGNETIC FLUX CONSERVATION IN THE HELIOSHEATH |
| title_fullStr | MAGNETIC FLUX CONSERVATION IN THE HELIOSHEATH |
| title_full_unstemmed | MAGNETIC FLUX CONSERVATION IN THE HELIOSHEATH |
| title_short | MAGNETIC FLUX CONSERVATION IN THE HELIOSHEATH |
| title_sort | magnetic flux conservation in the heliosheath |
| url | http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/93206 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT burlagalf magneticfluxconservationintheheliosheath AT deckerrb magneticfluxconservationintheheliosheath AT drakejf magneticfluxconservationintheheliosheath AT nessnf magneticfluxconservationintheheliosheath AT opherm magneticfluxconservationintheheliosheath AT richardsonjohnd magneticfluxconservationintheheliosheath |