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Heliospheric termination shock motion in response to LISM variations: Spherically symmetric model
Author(s) -
Ratkiewicz R.,
Barnes A.,
Spreiter J. R.
Publication year - 1997
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 - 10.1029/97gl01537
Subject(s) - physics , heliosphere , shock (circulatory) , bow shock (aerodynamics) , solar wind , boundary (topology) , mechanics , shock wave , interstellar medium , classical mechanics , astrophysics , plasma , mathematical analysis , medicine , mathematics , quantum mechanics , galaxy
The unsteady spherically symmetric one‐dimensional gasdynamic model appears to be a powerful tool in the investigation of the termination shock motion. Such a model has previously been used to examine the response of the heliospheric termination shock to variations in upstream solar wind conditions [ Ratkiewicz et al., 1996]. In the current paper we apply the same model to study response of the shock to variations in the interstellar medium. The initial‐boundary conditions for the unsteady calculations are given by the pressure as a function of time on an outer boundary either alone or with the density as a function of time on an inner boundary. The motion of the termination shock is caused by fluctuations in both solar wind and interstellar plasma parameters and has a rather complicated behavior, characterized by a sequence of perturbations that hit the termination shock and are reflected from the outer boundary.