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Pluto‧s interaction with the solar wind
Author(s) -
Bagenal Fran,
McNutt Ralph L.
Publication year - 1989
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/gl016i011p01229
Subject(s) - pluto , solar wind , physics , bow shock (aerodynamics) , interplanetary magnetic field , venus , interplanetary spaceflight , heliosphere , comet , bow wave , interplanetary medium , atmospheric sciences , shock (circulatory) , flux (metallurgy) , astrobiology , geophysics , plasma , shock wave , mechanics , quantum mechanics , medicine , materials science , metallurgy
If Pluto‧s atmospheric escape rate is significantly greater than 1.5 × 10 27 molecules s −1 then the interaction with the tenuous solar wind at 30 A. U. will be like that of a comet: there will be extensive ion pick‐up upstream and the size of the interaction region will vary directly with variations in the solar wind flux. If the escape flux is much less, then one expects that the solar wind will be deflected around Pluto‧s ionosphere in a Venus‐like interaction. In either case, the weak interplanetary magnetic field at 30 A. U. results in very large gyroradii for the picked up ions and a thick bow shock, necessitating a kinetic treatment of the interaction. Strong variations in the size of the interaction region are expected on time scales of days due to changes in the solar wind.