Morphology and evolution of the heliospheric comment and plasma sheets from 1 to 5 AU

X. Y. Zhou; E. J. Smith; D. Wiaterhalter; D. J. McComas; R. M. Skoug; B. E. Goldstein; C. W. Smith

Morphology and evolution of the heliospheric comment and plasma sheets from 1 to 5 AU

X. Y. Zhou, E. J. Smith, D. Wiaterhalter, D. J. McComas, R. M. Skoug, B. E. Goldstein, C. W. Smith

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

Abstract

Spacecraft reaching 5 AU and beyond present an opportunity to study the thickness of the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) and plasma sheet (HPS), how they change with distance and what determines their thickness. To answer these questions, we studied HCS/HPS thickness at several distances using field and plasma data obtained by Ulysses and ACE. The Ulysses data were obtained in 1991 en-route to Jupiter near 3 AU and in 2004 near 5 AU. The same current-plasma sheets analyzed at ∼5 AU were then identified and studied in ACE data at 1 AU. The median thickness of the HCS decreased slightly with distance from the sun (1700 to 1450 km). The HPS medians also decreased with distance (3×10⁶ to 1.4× 10⁶ km). However, individual HCS thicknesses appear to be uncorrelated with the associated HPS thickness. No obvious controllers of the HCS or HPS thickness have been identified. Polarity reversals in electron heat flux were well correlated with the HCS at 5 AU.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	659-662
Number of pages	4
Journal	European Space Agency, (Special Publication) ESA SP
Issue number	592
State	Published - 2005
Externally published	Yes
Event	Solar Wind 11/SOHO 16 - Connecting Sun and Heliosphere - Whistler, Canada Duration: Jun 12 2005 → Jun 17 2005

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Aerospace Engineering
Space and Planetary Science

Cite this

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title = "Morphology and evolution of the heliospheric comment and plasma sheets from 1 to 5 AU",

abstract = "Spacecraft reaching 5 AU and beyond present an opportunity to study the thickness of the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) and plasma sheet (HPS), how they change with distance and what determines their thickness. To answer these questions, we studied HCS/HPS thickness at several distances using field and plasma data obtained by Ulysses and ACE. The Ulysses data were obtained in 1991 en-route to Jupiter near 3 AU and in 2004 near 5 AU. The same current-plasma sheets analyzed at ∼5 AU were then identified and studied in ACE data at 1 AU. The median thickness of the HCS decreased slightly with distance from the sun (1700 to 1450 km). The HPS medians also decreased with distance (3×106 to 1.4× 106 km). However, individual HCS thicknesses appear to be uncorrelated with the associated HPS thickness. No obvious controllers of the HCS or HPS thickness have been identified. Polarity reversals in electron heat flux were well correlated with the HCS at 5 AU.",

author = "Zhou, {X. Y.} and Smith, {E. J.} and D. Wiaterhalter and McComas, {D. J.} and Skoug, {R. M.} and Goldstein, {B. E.} and Smith, {C. W.}",

year = "2005",

language = "English (US)",

pages = "659--662",

journal = "European Space Agency, (Special Publication) ESA SP",

issn = "0379-6566",

publisher = "European Space Agency",

number = "592",

note = "Solar Wind 11/SOHO 16 - Connecting Sun and Heliosphere ; Conference date: 12-06-2005 Through 17-06-2005",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Morphology and evolution of the heliospheric comment and plasma sheets from 1 to 5 AU

AU - Zhou, X. Y.

AU - Smith, E. J.

AU - Wiaterhalter, D.

AU - McComas, D. J.

AU - Skoug, R. M.

AU - Goldstein, B. E.

AU - Smith, C. W.

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - Spacecraft reaching 5 AU and beyond present an opportunity to study the thickness of the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) and plasma sheet (HPS), how they change with distance and what determines their thickness. To answer these questions, we studied HCS/HPS thickness at several distances using field and plasma data obtained by Ulysses and ACE. The Ulysses data were obtained in 1991 en-route to Jupiter near 3 AU and in 2004 near 5 AU. The same current-plasma sheets analyzed at ∼5 AU were then identified and studied in ACE data at 1 AU. The median thickness of the HCS decreased slightly with distance from the sun (1700 to 1450 km). The HPS medians also decreased with distance (3×106 to 1.4× 106 km). However, individual HCS thicknesses appear to be uncorrelated with the associated HPS thickness. No obvious controllers of the HCS or HPS thickness have been identified. Polarity reversals in electron heat flux were well correlated with the HCS at 5 AU.

AB - Spacecraft reaching 5 AU and beyond present an opportunity to study the thickness of the heliospheric current sheet (HCS) and plasma sheet (HPS), how they change with distance and what determines their thickness. To answer these questions, we studied HCS/HPS thickness at several distances using field and plasma data obtained by Ulysses and ACE. The Ulysses data were obtained in 1991 en-route to Jupiter near 3 AU and in 2004 near 5 AU. The same current-plasma sheets analyzed at ∼5 AU were then identified and studied in ACE data at 1 AU. The median thickness of the HCS decreased slightly with distance from the sun (1700 to 1450 km). The HPS medians also decreased with distance (3×106 to 1.4× 106 km). However, individual HCS thicknesses appear to be uncorrelated with the associated HPS thickness. No obvious controllers of the HCS or HPS thickness have been identified. Polarity reversals in electron heat flux were well correlated with the HCS at 5 AU.

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M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:32644453683

SN - 0379-6566

SP - 659

EP - 662

JO - European Space Agency, (Special Publication) ESA SP

JF - European Space Agency, (Special Publication) ESA SP

IS - 592

T2 - Solar Wind 11/SOHO 16 - Connecting Sun and Heliosphere

Y2 - 12 June 2005 through 17 June 2005

ER -

Morphology and evolution of the heliospheric comment and plasma sheets from 1 to 5 AU

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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