Probing the Edge of the Solar System: Formation of an Unstable Jet-Sheet | Zendy

M. Opher | Zendy; Paulett C. Liewer | Zendy; T. I. Gombosi | Zendy; W. B. Manchester | Zendy; Darren L. De Zeeuw | Zendy; И. В. Соколов | Zendy; Gábor Tóth | Zendy

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Probing the Edge of the Solar System: Formation of an Unstable Jet-Sheet

Author(s) -

M. Opher,

Paulett C. Liewer,

T. I. Gombosi,

W. B. Manchester,

Darren L. De Zeeuw,

И. В. Соколов,

Gábor Tóth

Publication year - 2003

Publication title -

the astrophysical journal

Language(s) - English

Resource type - Journals

SCImago Journal Rank - 2.376

H-Index - 489

eISSN - 1538-4357

pISSN - 0004-637X

DOI - 10.1086/376960

Subject(s) - physics , solar system , instability , heliospheric current sheet , interstellar medium , magnetic field , astrophysics , heliosphere , magnetohydrodynamics , jet (fluid) , rotation (mathematics) , solar wind , astronomy , computational physics , interplanetary magnetic field , mechanics , galaxy , geometry , quantum mechanics , mathematics

The Voyager spacecraft is now approaching the edge of the solar system. Nearthe boundary between the solar system and the interstellar medium we find thatan unstable ``jet-sheet'' forms. The jet-sheet oscillates up and down due to avelocity shear instability. This result is due to a novel application of astate-of-art 3D Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) code with a highly refined grid. Weassume as a first approximation that the solar magnetic and rotation axes arealigned. The effect of a tilt of the magnetic axis with respect to the rotationaxis remains to be seen. We include in the model self-consistently magneticfield effects in the interaction between the solar and interstellar winds.Previous studies of this interaction had poorer spatial resolution and did notinclude the solar magnetic field. This instability can affect the entry ofenergetic particles into the solar system and the intermixing of solar andinterstellar material. The same effect found here is predicted for theinteraction of rotating magnetized stars possessing supersonic winds and movingwith respect to the interstellar medium, such as O stars.Comment: 9 pages, 4 figures, accepted for publication in ApJ

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