Imaging the interaction of the heliosphere with the interstellar medium from saturn with cassini

S. M. Krimigis; D. G. Mitchell; E. C. Roelof; K. C. Hsieh; D. J. McComas

doi:10.1126/science.1181079

Imaging the interaction of the heliosphere with the interstellar medium from saturn with cassini

S. M. Krimigis, D. G. Mitchell, E. C. Roelof, K. C. Hsieh, D. J. McComas

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122 Scopus citations

Abstract

We report an all-sky image of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) >6 kilo-electron volts produced by energetic protons occupying the region (heliosheath) between the boundary of the extended solar atmosphere and the local interstellar medium (LISM). The map obtained by the Ion and Neutral Camera (INCA) onboard Cassini reveals a broad belt of energetic protons whose nonthermal pressure is comparable to that of the local interstellar magnetic field. The belt, centered at ∼260° ecliptic longitude extending from north to south and looping back through ∼80°, appears to be ordered by the local interstellar magnetic field. The shape revealed by the ENA image does not conform to current models, wherein the heliosphere resembles a cometlike figure aligned in the direction of Sun's travel through the LISM.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	971-973
Number of pages	3
Journal	Science
Volume	326
Issue number	5955
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1181079
State	Published - Nov 13 2009
Externally published	Yes

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abstract = "We report an all-sky image of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) >6 kilo-electron volts produced by energetic protons occupying the region (heliosheath) between the boundary of the extended solar atmosphere and the local interstellar medium (LISM). The map obtained by the Ion and Neutral Camera (INCA) onboard Cassini reveals a broad belt of energetic protons whose nonthermal pressure is comparable to that of the local interstellar magnetic field. The belt, centered at ∼260° ecliptic longitude extending from north to south and looping back through ∼80°, appears to be ordered by the local interstellar magnetic field. The shape revealed by the ENA image does not conform to current models, wherein the heliosphere resembles a cometlike figure aligned in the direction of Sun's travel through the LISM.",

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T1 - Imaging the interaction of the heliosphere with the interstellar medium from saturn with cassini

AU - Krimigis, S. M.

AU - Mitchell, D. G.

AU - Roelof, E. C.

AU - Hsieh, K. C.

AU - McComas, D. J.

PY - 2009/11/13

Y1 - 2009/11/13

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AB - We report an all-sky image of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs) >6 kilo-electron volts produced by energetic protons occupying the region (heliosheath) between the boundary of the extended solar atmosphere and the local interstellar medium (LISM). The map obtained by the Ion and Neutral Camera (INCA) onboard Cassini reveals a broad belt of energetic protons whose nonthermal pressure is comparable to that of the local interstellar magnetic field. The belt, centered at ∼260° ecliptic longitude extending from north to south and looping back through ∼80°, appears to be ordered by the local interstellar magnetic field. The shape revealed by the ENA image does not conform to current models, wherein the heliosphere resembles a cometlike figure aligned in the direction of Sun's travel through the LISM.

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Imaging the interaction of the heliosphere with the interstellar medium from saturn with cassini

Abstract

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