Future Exploration of the Outer Heliosphere and Very Local Interstellar Medium by Interstellar Probe

Brandt, P. C.; Provornikova, Elena; Bale, S. D.; Cocoros, A.; Demajistre, R.; Dialynas, K.; Elliott, H. A.; Eriksson, S.; Fields, Brian D.; Galli, André; Hill, M. E.; Horányi, M.; Horbury, T. S.; Hunziker, S.; Kollmann, P.; Kinnison, James D.; Fountain, Glen H.; Krimigis, S. M.; Kŭrth, W. S.; Linsky, J. L.; Lisse, C. M.; Mandt, Kathleen; Magnes, W.; McNutt, R. L.; Miller, Jesse; Mœbius, E.; Mostafavi, Parisa; Opher, M.; Paxton, L. J.; Plaschke, Ferdinand; Poppe, A. R.; Roelof, E. C.; Runyon, K. D.; Redfield, Seth; Schwadron, N. A.; Sterken, Veerle; Swaczyna, P.; Szalay, J. R.; Turner, D. L.; Vannier, H.; Wimmer‐Schweingruber, R. F.; Würz, Peter; Zirnstein, E. J.

doi:10.1007/s11214-022-00943-x

Cited by 15 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 338 publications

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“…As expected, the full MHD heliosphere was asymmetric with a significantly larger distance to the HP in the north than in the south. In this particular simulation, the HP was some 460 au from the Sun in the direction of the null point, which is probably too far to be a target of in situ exploration by a single spacecraft using conventional propulsion, such as the Interstellar Probe (McNutt et al 2019;Brandt et al 2022Brandt et al , 2023. However, the distance would be reduced if the complimentary BV angle is less than 40°; the distance would be further reduced decades in the future if the solar cycle averaged solar wind momentum flux is on the decline, which appears to be the current trend (e.g., Verscharen et al 2021).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic Trapping of Galactic Cosmic Rays in the Outer Heliosheath and Their Preferential Entry into the Heliosphere

Florinski,

Guzman,

Kleimann

et al. 2024

ApJ

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This paper examines the geometry of interstellar magnetic field lines close to the boundary of the heliosphere in the direction of the unperturbed local interstellar magnetic field, where the field lines are spread apart by the heliopause (HP). Such field parting establishes a region of weaker magnetic field of about 300 au in size in the northern hemisphere that acts as a giant magnetic trap affecting the propagation of galactic cosmic rays (GCRs). The choice of an analytic model of the magnetic field in the very local interstellar medium allows us to qualitatively study the resulting magnetic field draping pattern while avoiding unphysical dissipation across the HP-impeding numerical magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models. We investigate GCR transport in the region exterior to the heliosphere, including the magnetic trap, subject to guiding center drifts, pitch angle scattering, and perpendicular diffusion. The transport coefficients were derived from Voyager 1 observations of magnetic turbulence in the VLISM. Our results predict a ring current of energetic ions drifting around the interior of the magnetic trap. It is also demonstrated that GCRs cross the HP for the first time preferentially through a crescent-shaped region between the magnetic trap and the upwind direction. The paper includes results of MHD modeling of the heliosphere that provide the coordinates of the center of the magnetic trap in ecliptic coordinates. In addition to the heliosphere, we examine several extreme field draping configurations that could describe the astrospheres of other stars.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Magnetic Trapping of Galactic Cosmic Rays in the Outer Heliosheath and Their Preferential Entry into the Heliosphere

Florinski,

Guzman,

Kleimann

et al. 2024

ApJ

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“…By placing a powerful suite of sensors for ENAs, PUIs, energetic particles, interstellar dust, and Lyman-α radiation at the Lagrangian point L1, while monitoring the interplanetary environment, the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) (McComas et al, 2018) will bring our understanding of the heliosphere and its place in the interstellar medium to the next level. A future dream of an Interstellar Probe that will venture into the VLISM proper and unravel thus far inaccessible ion populations and related interaction processes has recently moved closer to a realization after a detailed scientific and technical feasibility study (McNutt et al, 2021), (Brandt et al, 2023).…”

Section: Foray Into the Vlism A Truly Interdisciplinary Endeavor Betw...mentioning

confidence: 99%

How catching the interstellar wind in the inner solar system led the way on a road to interdisciplinary research between heliophysics and astrophysics

Möbius

2023

Front. Astron. Space Sci.

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Combined in situ observations of the interstellar wind through the solar system and of its pickup ions (PUIs), implanted after ionization in the solar wind, explain, in comparison with interstellar absorption lines of nearby stars, that the Sun is in an interaction region of the two nearest interstellar clouds. This new finding disrupts the long-held understanding that we are inside the local interstellar cloud (LIC). We discuss how space physics evolved toward such interdisciplinary studies between heliophysics and astrophysics. In 1984, the discovery of interstellar He+ PUIs exposed the very local interstellar medium to in situ diagnostics at 1AU. These PUIs provide the interstellar gas composition and form a stepping stone for the acceleration of ions, especially into anomalous cosmic rays. Using the Sun as a gravitational spectrograph, direct imaging of the neutral interstellar wind, first for He and then for H, O, and Ne, provides the interstellar gas velocity vector and temperature at the heliopause. Combining the interstellar gas flow vectors, those of secondary neutral He and O, and the interstellar magnetic field direction deduced from the interstellar H deflection and termination shock anisotropy seen by the Voyagers provides synergistically the heliosphere’s shape, its interaction with the interstellar medium, and constrains our radiation environment. This ISMF organizes the bright Ribbon seen in all-sky images of energetic neutral atoms with the potential to provide its precision determination. The elemental and isotopic composition from PUI and neutral gas observations constrains the galactic evolution and Big Bang cosmology, opening additional interdisciplinary opportunities.

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“…Our knowledge of the composition, flow, and properties of the LISM is informed almost exclusively from remote sensing or indirect measurements such as of UV backscatter (Weller and Meier, 1974;Ajello, 1978;Dalaudier et al, 1984;Bertaux et al, 1985;Lallement and Bertin, 1992;Lallement et al, 2004;Vallerga et al, 2004;Lallement et al, 2005;Redfield and Linsky, 2008;Slavin and Frisch, 2008;Frisch, 2009;Lallement et al, 2010;Vincent et al, 2012;Frisch et al, 2013;Frisch et al, 2015;Zank et al, 2013;Linsky et al, 2019;Linsky and Redfield, 2021), low-energy neutral atoms (Witte et al, 1992;Witte et al, 1993;Fuselier et al, 2009b;Moebius et al, 2009), ENAs (Fuselier et al, 2009a;Frisch et al, 2009;McComas et al, 2009;McComas et al, 2012b;McComas et al, 2013;Heerikhuisen et al, 2014;Pogorelov et al, 2015;Dialynas et al, 2017;Dialynas et al, 2019;Reisenfeld et al, 2021;Brandt et al, 2022), PUIs (Möbius et al, 1985a;Gloeckler et al, 1992;Gloeckler et al, 1998;Mall et al, 1998;McComas et al, 2004;Galvin et al, 2008;McComas et al, 2008;...…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The Interstellar Probe is a proposed mission concept that has involved the work of over 1,000 scientists over a number of years proposing various potential trajectories to reach the LISM, including via the nose or the heliotail directions (McNutt Jr. et al, 2021;Schlei et al, 2021;Brandt et al, 2022). The general mission goals are to investigate the heliosphere and the Sun's interaction with the LISM (Schlei et al, 2021).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…The general mission goals are to investigate the heliosphere and the Sun's interaction with the LISM (Schlei et al, 2021). These objectives are to be achieved specifically through the PUI and in situ plasma measurements both inside and outside the heliosphere as well as direct measurements of the VLISM, including properties such as densities, composition, flows, and temperatures of ions, neutral particles, and dust (Brandt et al, 2022). In addition, though the U.S. and China do not directly collaborate on space missions, and while neither mission currently has a set launch date, NASA's proposed Interstellar Probe and China's proposed Interstellar Express (Xu et al, 2022) missions could provide complementary measurements to better understand the heliosphere and its interaction with the LISM, just as NASA and ESA's Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter provide complementary measurements of the Sun.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Complementary interstellar detections from the heliotail

Spitzer,

Kornbleuth,

Opher

et al. 2024

Front. Astron. Space Sci.

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The heliosphere is a protective shield around the solar system created by the Sun’s interaction with the local interstellar medium (LISM) through the solar wind, transients, and interplanetary magnetic field. The shape of the heliosphere is directly linked with interactions with the surrounding LISM, in turn affecting the space environment within the heliosphere. Understanding the shape of the heliosphere, the LISM properties, and their interactions is critical for understanding the impacts within the solar system and for understanding other astrospheres. Understanding the shape of the heliosphere requires an understanding of the heliotail, as the shape is highly dependent upon the heliotail and its LISM interactions. The heliotail additionally presents an opportunity for more direct in situ measurement of interstellar particles from within the heliosphere, given the likelihood of magnetic reconnection and turbulent mixing between the LISM and the heliotail. Measurements in the heliotail should be made of pickup ions, energetic neutral atoms, low energy neutrals, and cosmic rays, as well as interstellar ions that may be injected into the heliosphere through processes such as magnetic reconnection, which can create a direct magnetic link from the LISM into the heliosphere. The Interstellar Probe mission is an ideal opportunity for measurement either along a trajectory passing through the heliotail, via the flank, or by use of a pair of spacecraft that explore the heliosphere both tailward and noseward to yield a more complete picture of the shape of the heliosphere and to help us better understand its interactions with the LISM.

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Future Exploration of the Outer Heliosphere and Very Local Interstellar Medium by Interstellar Probe

Cited by 15 publications

References 338 publications

Magnetic Trapping of Galactic Cosmic Rays in the Outer Heliosheath and Their Preferential Entry into the Heliosphere

Magnetic Trapping of Galactic Cosmic Rays in the Outer Heliosheath and Their Preferential Entry into the Heliosphere

How catching the interstellar wind in the inner solar system led the way on a road to interdisciplinary research between heliophysics and astrophysics

Complementary interstellar detections from the heliotail

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