An Improved Parametrized Representation of the Secondary He Neutral Flow in its Source Region
arXiv:1706.04250 · doi:10.1088/1742-6596/900/1/012021
Abstract
Analysis of data from the Interstellar Boundary EXplorer (IBEX) has revealed the presence of a flow of neutral helium through the inner solar system that most likely emanates from the outer heliosheath, where a distinct population of neutral He is produced by charge exchange processes. This secondary He flow has been modeled using codes designed to study interstellar flows through the heliosphere, but a laminar flow is not a good approximation for the outer heliosheath. I present a simple parametrization for a more appropriate divergent flow, and demonstrate how the secondary He particles might provide a means to remotely measure the divergence of the ISM flow around the heliopause.
To appear in the Proceedings of the 16th Annual Astrophysics Conference: Turbulence, Structures, and Particle Acceleration Throughout the Heliosphere and Beyond, IOP Conference Series