Advective transport of interstellar plasma into the heliosphere across the reconnecting heliopause

Abstract

We discuss results of magnetohydrodynamical model simulations of plasma dynamics in the proximity of the heliopause (HP). The model is shown to fit details of the magnetic field variations observed by Voyager 1 spacecraft during the transition from the heliosphere to the local interstellar medium (LISM). We propose an interpretation of magnetic field structures observed by Voyager 1 in terms of fine-scale physical processes. Our simulations reveal an effective transport mechanism of relatively dense LISM plasma across the reconnecting HP into the heliosphere. The mechanism is associated with annihilation of magnetic sectors in the heliospheric plasma near the HP.

5 pages, 5 figures

References in corpus (5)

• Dissipation of the sectored heliospheric magnetic field near the heliopause: a mechanism for the generation of anomalous cosmic rays
• The Vector Direction of the Interstellar Magnetic Field Outside the Heliosphere
• A Porous, Layered Heliopause
• Small-scale local phenomena related to the magnetic reconnection and turbulence in the proximity of the heliopause
• Scaling of the growth rate of magnetic islands in the heliosheath

Cited by in corpus (4)

• Heliosheath Processes and the Structure of the Heliopause: Modeling Energetic Particles, Cosmic Rays, and Magnetic Fields
• The Twist of the Draped Interstellar Magnetic Field Ahead of the Heliopause: A Magnetic Reconnection Driven Rotational Discontinuity
• Draping of the Interstellar Magnetic Field over the Heliopause - A Passive Field Model
• The formation of magnetic depletions and flux annihilation due to reconnection in the heliosheath