Solar wind at 33 AU: Setting bounds on the Pluto interaction for New Horizons

F. Bagenal; P. A. Delamere; H. A. Elliott; M. E. Hill; C. M. Lisse; D. J. McComas; R. L. McNutt; J. D. Richardson; C. W. Smith; D. F. Strobel

doi:10.1002/2015JE004880

Solar wind at 33 AU: Setting bounds on the Pluto interaction for New Horizons

F. Bagenal, P. A. Delamere, H. A. Elliott, M. E. Hill, C. M. Lisse, D. J. McComas, R. L. McNutt, J. D. Richardson, C. W. Smith, D. F. Strobel

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

19 Scopus citations

Abstract

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flies past Pluto on 14 July 2015, carrying two instruments that detect charged particles. Pluto has a tenuous, extended atmosphere that is escaping the planet's weak gravity. The interaction of the solar wind with Pluto's escaping atmosphere depends on solar wind conditions as well as the vertical structure of Pluto's atmosphere. We have analyzed Voyager 2 particles and fields measurements between 25 and 39 AU and present their statistical variations. We have adjusted these predictions to allow for the Sun's declining activity and solar wind output. We summarize the range of SW conditions that can be expected at 33 AU and survey the range of scales of interaction that New Horizons might experience. Model estimates for the solar wind standoff distance vary from ~7 to ~1000 R_P with our best estimate being around 40 R_P (where we take Pluto's radius to be R_P = 1184 km).

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1497-1511
Number of pages	15
Journal	Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets
Volume	120
Issue number	9
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/2015JE004880
State	Published - Sep 1 2015
Externally published	Yes

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Geochemistry and Petrology
Geophysics
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous)
Space and Planetary Science

Keywords

Pluto
solar wind

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10.1002/2015JE004880

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title = "Solar wind at 33 AU: Setting bounds on the Pluto interaction for New Horizons",

abstract = "NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flies past Pluto on 14 July 2015, carrying two instruments that detect charged particles. Pluto has a tenuous, extended atmosphere that is escaping the planet's weak gravity. The interaction of the solar wind with Pluto's escaping atmosphere depends on solar wind conditions as well as the vertical structure of Pluto's atmosphere. We have analyzed Voyager 2 particles and fields measurements between 25 and 39 AU and present their statistical variations. We have adjusted these predictions to allow for the Sun's declining activity and solar wind output. We summarize the range of SW conditions that can be expected at 33 AU and survey the range of scales of interaction that New Horizons might experience. Model estimates for the solar wind standoff distance vary from ~7 to ~1000 RP with our best estimate being around 40 RP (where we take Pluto's radius to be RP = 1184 km).",

keywords = "Pluto, solar wind",

author = "F. Bagenal and Delamere, {P. A.} and Elliott, {H. A.} and Hill, {M. E.} and Lisse, {C. M.} and McComas, {D. J.} and McNutt, {R. L.} and Richardson, {J. D.} and Smith, {C. W.} and Strobel, {D. F.}",

year = "2015",

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doi = "10.1002/2015JE004880",

language = "English (US)",

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journal = "Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets",

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T2 - Setting bounds on the Pluto interaction for New Horizons

AU - Bagenal, F.

AU - Delamere, P. A.

AU - Elliott, H. A.

AU - Hill, M. E.

AU - Lisse, C. M.

AU - McComas, D. J.

AU - McNutt, R. L.

AU - Richardson, J. D.

AU - Smith, C. W.

AU - Strobel, D. F.

PY - 2015/9/1

Y1 - 2015/9/1

N2 - NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flies past Pluto on 14 July 2015, carrying two instruments that detect charged particles. Pluto has a tenuous, extended atmosphere that is escaping the planet's weak gravity. The interaction of the solar wind with Pluto's escaping atmosphere depends on solar wind conditions as well as the vertical structure of Pluto's atmosphere. We have analyzed Voyager 2 particles and fields measurements between 25 and 39 AU and present their statistical variations. We have adjusted these predictions to allow for the Sun's declining activity and solar wind output. We summarize the range of SW conditions that can be expected at 33 AU and survey the range of scales of interaction that New Horizons might experience. Model estimates for the solar wind standoff distance vary from ~7 to ~1000 RP with our best estimate being around 40 RP (where we take Pluto's radius to be RP = 1184 km).

AB - NASA's New Horizons spacecraft flies past Pluto on 14 July 2015, carrying two instruments that detect charged particles. Pluto has a tenuous, extended atmosphere that is escaping the planet's weak gravity. The interaction of the solar wind with Pluto's escaping atmosphere depends on solar wind conditions as well as the vertical structure of Pluto's atmosphere. We have analyzed Voyager 2 particles and fields measurements between 25 and 39 AU and present their statistical variations. We have adjusted these predictions to allow for the Sun's declining activity and solar wind output. We summarize the range of SW conditions that can be expected at 33 AU and survey the range of scales of interaction that New Horizons might experience. Model estimates for the solar wind standoff distance vary from ~7 to ~1000 RP with our best estimate being around 40 RP (where we take Pluto's radius to be RP = 1184 km).

KW - Pluto

KW - solar wind

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JF - Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets

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ER -

Solar wind at 33 AU: Setting bounds on the Pluto interaction for New Horizons

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

Keywords

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