冷的气层等离子体和上游太阳风在终结冲击处的减速
John D Richardson1, Justin C Kasper, Chi Wang
1Kavli Institute for Astrophysics and Space Research, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 37-655, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA. jdr@space.mit.edu
Nature
|July 4, 2008
概括
旅行者2号的数据显示,日球不对称. 终结冲击微弱地加热等离子体,使太阳风能转移到有能量粒子中.
科学领域:
- 太空物理学 太空物理学
- 等离子体物理学的物理学
- 星际介质 星际介质
背景情况:
- 太阳层是太阳风产生的气泡,保护着太阳系的内部.
- 终结冲击标志着太阳风从超音速减速到低音速的边界.
- 旅行者1号在2004年越过了终结冲击;旅行者2号在2007年越过了.
研究的目的:
- 分析在终止冲击时和附近的等离子体观测.
- 为了使用旅行者2号数据调查日层区域.
- 了解日球的结构和终结冲击的特性.
主要方法:
- 来自旅行者2号航天器的现场等离子体测量.
- 分析太阳风的速度,离子行为和能量粒子相互作用.
- 对不同方向的日球条件进行比较.
主要成果:
- 日球表现出不对称性,终结冲击在旅行者2的方向上更接近.
- 终结冲击是一种微弱的,准垂直的冲击,极少加热热等离子体.
- 对于冲击下游的热离子,流量仍然是超音速的,能量转移到拾取离子.
结论:
- 日球的不对称结构影响了终结冲击时的等离子体行为.
- 能量转移到拾取离子是终结冲击时的主导过程.
- 需要进一步的研究才能充分理解日球动力学和粒子加速.
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