Has Voyager 1 really crossed the heliopause?

13th Annual International Astrophysics Conference: Voyager, IBEX, and the Interstellar Medium

物理学;天文学

Gloeckler, G.^1 ; Fisk, L.A.^1

Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, 2455 Hayward St, Ann Arbor

MI

48109-2143, United States^1

关键词: Current sheets;    Galactic cosmic rays;    Heliopause;    Heliosheath;    Heliospheres;    Local interstellar medium;    Voyager 1;   

Others  :  https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1742-6596/577/1/012011/pdf
DOI  :  10.1088/1742-6596/577/1/012011

学科分类：天文学(综合)

来源: IOP

【 摘 要 】

The Voyager 1 spacecraft is currently in the vicinity of the heliopause, which separates the heliosphere from the local interstellar medium. There has been a precipitous decrease in particles accelerated in the heliosphere, and a substantial increase in galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). The evidence is unclear, however, as to whether Voyager 1 has crossed the heliopause into the local interstellar medium, or remains within the heliosheath. In this paper we propose a test that will determine whether Voyager 1 has crossed the heliopause: If Voyager 1 remains in the heliosheath, the high plasma densities must be due to compressed solar wind, with the consequence that Voyager 1 will encounter another current sheet, where the polarity of the magnetic field reverses. Voyager 1 observations can be used to predict that the next current sheet crossing is likely to occur during 2015. A prediction is also provided as to what the Voyager 2 plasma detector will measure in the next few years.