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Updated: May 8, 2026
11:34
Scattering And Absorption of Light in Planetary Regoliths
Published on: July 1, 2019
Decades-long changes of the interstellar wind through our solar system.
P C Frisch1, M Bzowski, G Livadiotis
1Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL 60637, USA. frisch@oddjob.uchicago.edu
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|September 7, 2013
Summary
The Sun
Area of Science:
- * Heliophysics and space physics.
- * Interstellar medium and solar system interactions.
Background:
- * The heliosphere is shaped by the Sun's movement through the local interstellar medium.
- * Interstellar wind has been measured by spacecraft for four decades.
- * Previous measurements indicated a specific flow direction of interstellar atoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- * To analyze long-term trends in interstellar flow direction.
- * To reconcile new data with historical observations.
- * To determine the statistical significance of observed changes in interstellar flow.
Main Methods:
- * Analysis of data from multiple spacecraft missions (Interstellar Boundary Explorer, Ulysses, etc.).
- * Comparison of measurements across three distinct observational epochs (1972-1978, 1992-2002, 2009-2010).
- * Statistical evaluation of trends in interstellar flow ecliptic longitude.
Main Results:
- * Recent data suggest a different inflow direction for neutral interstellar atoms.
- * A statistically significant linear increase in interstellar flow ecliptic longitude over time was detected.
- * Consideration of all data, including uncertainties, supports this observed trend.
Conclusions:
- * The direction of interstellar material flowing into the heliosphere has demonstrably changed over time.
- * This finding has implications for understanding the dynamic interaction between the solar system and the local interstellar medium.
- * Long-term monitoring is crucial for characterizing evolving heliospheric conditions.
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