TY - JOUR
T1 - Thickness of the heliosheath, return of the pick-up ions, and voyager 1's crossing the heliopause
AU - Hsieh, K. C.
AU - Giacalone, J.
AU - Czechowski, A.
AU - Hilchenbach, M.
AU - Grzedzielski, S.
AU - Kota, J.
PY - 2010/8/1
Y1 - 2010/8/1
N2 - abs Using results of remote sensing by energetic neutral atoms from IBEX, SOHO/HSTOF, and Cassini/INCA, in situ measurements of ∼40-4000 keV protons in the heliosheath (HS) from Low Energy Charged Particle on Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, and outputs from numerical modeling of the termination shock, we estimate L, the characteristic thickness of the HS in the "upwind" direction (±45° in ecliptic longitude of the Nose at λ = 255°). A simple steady-state, internally consistent model gives L = 21 ± 6 AU for Voyager 1, L = 28 ± 8 AU for Voyager 2, and L = 25 ± 8 AU assuming that the same L value is valid for both spacecraft. We recognize that this is a very coarse cut at a very dynamic region of the heliosphere; but if the lower value L = 21 AU applies, one could expect Voyager 1 to cross the heliopause as early as late 2010.
AB - abs Using results of remote sensing by energetic neutral atoms from IBEX, SOHO/HSTOF, and Cassini/INCA, in situ measurements of ∼40-4000 keV protons in the heliosheath (HS) from Low Energy Charged Particle on Voyager 1 and Voyager 2, and outputs from numerical modeling of the termination shock, we estimate L, the characteristic thickness of the HS in the "upwind" direction (±45° in ecliptic longitude of the Nose at λ = 255°). A simple steady-state, internally consistent model gives L = 21 ± 6 AU for Voyager 1, L = 28 ± 8 AU for Voyager 2, and L = 25 ± 8 AU assuming that the same L value is valid for both spacecraft. We recognize that this is a very coarse cut at a very dynamic region of the heliosphere; but if the lower value L = 21 AU applies, one could expect Voyager 1 to cross the heliopause as early as late 2010.
KW - Acceleration of particles-methods
KW - Data analysis-plasmas-shock waves-space vehicles
KW - Heliosphere
KW - Instruments-Sun
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U2 - 10.1088/2041-8205/718/2/L185
DO - 10.1088/2041-8205/718/2/L185
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:78249243451
SN - 2041-8205
VL - 718
SP - L185-L188
JO - Astrophysical Journal Letters
JF - Astrophysical Journal Letters
IS - 2 PART 2
ER -