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Charge‐exchange born He + ions in the solar wind
Author(s) -
Gruntman Michael A.
Publication year - 1992
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/92gl01277
Subject(s) - heliosphere , solar wind , physics , helium , ion , atomic physics , ionization , energetic neutral atom , charge exchange , charge (physics) , plasma , polar wind , hydrogen , charged particle , astronomy , coronal mass ejection , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics
The effect of charge transfer between solar wind alpha‐particles and hydrogen atoms of interstellar origin is revisited. Singly‐charged helium ions born in the charge transfer carry important information on processes in the solar wind and the heliosphere. The velocity distribution of such He + ions is substantially different from that of He + pick‐up ions due to ionization of the interstellar helium atoms. Estimates of the expected abundances of the charge‐exchange born He + in the solar wind are presented, and the possibility of measuring this plasma component on deep space missions is discussed.