The Orientation of the Local Interstellar Magnetic Field
Abstract
The orientation of the local interstellar magnetic field introduces asymmetries in the heliosphere that affect the location of heliospheric radio emissions and the streaming direction of ions from the termination shock of the solar wind. We combined observations of radio emissions and energetic particle streaming with extensive three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic computer simulations of magnetic field draping over the heliopause to show that the plane of the local interstellar field is ∼60° to 90° from the galactic plane. This finding suggests that the field orientation in the Local Interstellar Cloud differs from that of a larger-scale interstellar magnetic field thought to parallel the galactic plane.
Get full access to this article
View all available purchase options and get full access to this article.
Already a Subscriber?Sign In
Supplementary Material
File (opher.som.pdf)
References and Notes
1
R. B. Decker et al., Science309, 2020 (2005).
2
E. C. Stone et al., Science309, 2017 (2005).
3
M. Opher, E. C. Stone, P. C. Liewer, Astrophys. J.640, L71 (2006).
4
P. C. Frisch, in Physics of the Outer Heliosphere: Proceedings of the 1st COSPAR Colloquium (Pergamon, Oxford, UK, 1990), pp. 19–28.
5
P. C. Frisch, Space Sci. Rev.78, 213 (1996).
6
R. Lallement et al., Science307, 1447 (2005).
7
W. S. Kurth, D. A. Gurnett, F. L. Scarf, R. L. Poynter, Nature312, 27 (1984).
8
D. A. Gurnett, W. S. Kurth, S. C. Allendorf, R. L. Poynter, Science262, 199 (1993).
9
D. A. Gurnett, W. S. Kurth, E. C. Stone, Geophys. Res. Lett.30,2003).
10
D. A. Gurnett, W. S. Kurth, Adv. Space Sci.16, 279 (1995).
11
W. S. Kurth, D. A. Gurnett, J. Geophys. Res.108,2003).
12
See supporting material on Science Online.
13
D. A. Gurnett, W. S. Kurth, I. H. Cairns, J. Mitchell, AIP Conf. Proc.858, 129 (2006).
14
L. F. Burlaga et al., Science309, 2027 (2005).
15
A. C. Cummingset al., American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2005, abstract SH51A-1184 (2005).
16
F. B. McDonald et al., Nature426, 48 (2003).
17
S. M. Krimigis et al., Nature426, 45 (2003).
18
J. R. Jokipii, J. Giacalone, J. Kota, Astrophys. J.611, L141 (2004).
19
R. Ratkiewicz et al., Astron. Astrophys.335, 363 (1998).
20
N. V. Pogorelov, T. Matsuda, J. Geophys. Res.103, 237 (1998).
21
N. V. Pogorelov, G. P. Zank, Astrophys. J.636, L161 (2006).
22
V. Izmodenov, D. Alexashov, A. Myasnikov, Astron. Astrophys.437, L35 (2005).
23
We thank the staff at NASA Ames Research Center for the use of the Columbia supercomputer.
Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Science
Volume 316 | Issue 5826
11 May 2007
11 May 2007
Copyright
American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Submission history
Received: 3 January 2007
Accepted: 27 March 2007
Published in print: 11 May 2007
Authors
Metrics & Citations
Metrics
Article Usage
Altmetrics
Citations
Export citation
Select the format you want to export the citation of this publication.
Cited by
- What sustained multi-disciplinary research can achieve: The space weather modeling framework, Journal of Space Weather and Space Climate, 11, (42), (2021).https://doi.org/10.1051/swsc/2021020
- Global Anisotropies in TeV Cosmic Rays Related to the Sun’s Local Galactic Environment from IBEX, Science, 343, 6174, (988-990), (2021)./doi/10.1126/science.1245026
- Comparison of Interstellar Boundary Explorer Observations with 3D Global Heliospheric Models, Science, 326, 5955, (966-968), (2021)./doi/10.1126/science.1180986
- A Local Wiggle in the Turbulent Interstellar Magnetic Field, Science, 316, 5826, (839-840), (2021)./doi/10.1126/science.1141628
- Effect of Rapid Changes of Solar Wind Conditions on the Pickup Ion Velocity Distribution, Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, 124, 8, (6418-6437), (2019).https://doi.org/10.1029/2019JA026781
- Cosmic ray models, Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics, 109, (103710), (2019).https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ppnp.2019.07.002
- Corrugated Features in Coronal-mass-ejection-driven Shocks: A Discussion on the Predisposition to Particle Acceleration, The Astrophysical Journal, 879, 2, (122), (2019).https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ab2460
- Extended MHD modeling of the steady solar corona and the solar wind, Living Reviews in Solar Physics, 15, 1, (2018).https://doi.org/10.1007/s41116-018-0014-4
- Heliosheath Processes and the Structure of the Heliopause: Modeling Energetic Particles, Cosmic Rays, and Magnetic Fields, Space Science Reviews, 212, 1-2, (193-248), (2017).https://doi.org/10.1007/s11214-017-0354-8
- The bubble-like shape of the heliosphere observed by Voyager and Cassini, Nature Astronomy, 1, 5, (2017).https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-017-0115
Loading...
View Options
Get Access
Log in to view the full text
AAAS login provides access to Science for AAAS Members, and access to other journals in the Science family to users who have purchased individual subscriptions.
- Become a AAAS Member
- Activate your AAAS ID
- Purchase Access to Other Journals in the Science Family
- Account Help
Log in via OpenAthens.
Log in via Shibboleth.
More options
Purchase digital access to this article
Download and print this article for your personal scholarly, research, and educational use.
Buy a single issue of Science for just $15 USD.
View options
PDF format
Download this article as a PDF file
Download PDF