HELIOSPHERIC STRUCTURE: THE BOW WAVE AND THE HYDROGEN WALL

Recent IBEX observations indicate that the local interstellar medium (LISM) flow speed is less than previously thought. Reasonable LISM plasma parameters indicate that the LISM flow may be either marginally super-fast magnetosonic or sub-fast magnetosonic. A theoretical analysis shows that the trans...

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Published inThe Astrophysical journal Vol. 763; no. 1; pp. 20 - 13
Main Authors Zank, G. P., Heerikhuisen, J., Wood, B. E., Pogorelov, N. V., Zirnstein, E., McComas, D. J.
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 20.01.2013
Subjects
ABSORPTION
AMINO ACIDS
ASTRONOMY
ASTROPHYSICS
ASTROPHYSICS, COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
CHARGE EXCHANGE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
Dissipation
HELIOSPHERE
HYDROGEN
INDEXES
Interstellar
INTERSTELLAR SPACE
Line of sight
Local interstellar medium
MACH NUMBER
MAGNETIC FIELDS
Mathematical models
PLASMA
SHOCK WAVES
SOLAR WIND
Walls
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Summary:Recent IBEX observations indicate that the local interstellar medium (LISM) flow speed is less than previously thought. Reasonable LISM plasma parameters indicate that the LISM flow may be either marginally super-fast magnetosonic or sub-fast magnetosonic. A theoretical analysis shows that the transition from a super-fast to a sub-fast magnetosonic downstream state is due to the charge exchange of fast neutral H and hot neutral H created in the supersonic solar wind and hot inner heliosheath, respectively. The charge exchange of fast and hot heliospheric neutral H therefore provides a primary dissipation mechanism at the weak heliospheric bow shock, in some cases effectively creating a one-shock heliosphere. Both super-fast magnetosonic models produce a sizeable H-wall. Subject to further modeling and comparison against further lines of sight, we conclude with the tantalizing possibility that IBEX may have discovered a class of interstellar shocks mediated by neutral H.
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ISSN:0004-637X
1538-4357
DOI:10.1088/0004-637X/763/1/20