Note to users. If you're seeing this message, it means that your browser cannot find this page's style/presentation instructions -- or possibly that you are using a browser that does not support current Web standards. Find out more about why this message is appearing, and what you can do to make your experience of our site the best it can be.
Imaging the Interaction of the Heliosphere with the Interstellar Medium from Saturn with Cassini
S. M. Krimigis,1,2,*D. G. Mitchell,1E. C. Roelof,1K. C. Hsieh,3D. J. McComas4,5
We report an all-sky image of energetic neutral atoms (ENAs)>6 kilo–electron volts produced by energetic protonsoccupying the region (heliosheath) between the boundary of theextended solar atmosphere and the local interstellar medium(LISM). The map obtained by the Ion and Neutral Camera (INCA)onboard Cassini reveals a broad belt of energetic protons whosenonthermal pressure is comparable to that of the local interstellarmagnetic field. The belt, centered at ~260° ecliptic longitudeextending from north to south and looping back through ~80°,appears to be ordered by the local interstellar magnetic field.The shape revealed by the ENA image does not conform to currentmodels, wherein the heliosphere resembles a cometlike figurealigned in the direction of Sun’s travel through the LISM.
1 Applied Physics Laboratory, Johns Hopkins University, Laurel, MD 20723, USA. 2 Office for Space Research and Technology, Academy of Athens, 106 79 Athens, Greece. 3 Department of Physics, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ 85721, USA. 4 Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX 78228, USA. 5 University of Texas, San Antonio, TX 78249, USA.
* To whom correspondence should be addressed. E-mail: tom.krimigis{at}jhuapl.edu
The editors suggest the following Related Resources on Science sites:
In Science Magazine
REPORTS
D. J. McComas, F. Allegrini, P. Bochsler, M. Bzowski, E. R. Christian, G. B. Crew, R. DeMajistre, H. Fahr, H. Fichtner, P. C. Frisch, H. O. Funsten, S. A. Fuselier, G. Gloeckler, M. Gruntman, J. Heerikhuisen, V. Izmodenov, P. Janzen, P. Knappenberger, S. Krimigis, H. Kucharek, M. Lee, G. Livadiotis, S. Livi, R. J. MacDowall, D. Mitchell, E. Möbius, T. Moore, N. V. Pogorelov, D. Reisenfeld, E. Roelof, L. Saul, N. A. Schwadron, P. W. Valek, R. Vanderspek, P. Wurz, and G. P. Zank (13 November 2009) Science326 (5955), 959.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.1180906] |Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »|Podcast Interview »
REPORTS
H. O. Funsten, F. Allegrini, G. B. Crew, R. DeMajistre, P. C. Frisch, S. A. Fuselier, M. Gruntman, P. Janzen, D. J. McComas, E. Möbius, B. Randol, D. B. Reisenfeld, E. C. Roelof, and N. A. Schwadron (13 November 2009) Science326 (5955), 964.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.1180927] |Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
REPORTS
E. Möbius, P. Bochsler, M. Bzowski, G. B. Crew, H. O. Funsten, S. A. Fuselier, A. Ghielmetti, D. Heirtzler, V. V. Izmodenov, M. Kubiak, H. Kucharek, M. A. Lee, T. Leonard, D. J. McComas, L. Petersen, L. Saul, J. A. Scheer, N. Schwadron, M. Witte, and P. Wurz (13 November 2009) Science326 (5955), 969.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.1180971] |Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
REPORTS
S. A. Fuselier, F. Allegrini, H. O. Funsten, A. G. Ghielmetti, D. Heirtzler, H. Kucharek, O. W. Lennartsson, D. J. McComas, E. Möbius, T. E. Moore, S. M. Petrinec, L. A. Saul, J. A. Scheer, N. Schwadron, and P. Wurz (13 November 2009) Science326 (5955), 962.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.1180981] |Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
REPORTS
N. A. Schwadron, M. Bzowski, G. B. Crew, M. Gruntman, H. Fahr, H. Fichtner, P. C. Frisch, H. O. Funsten, S. Fuselier, J. Heerikhuisen, V. Izmodenov, H. Kucharek, M. Lee, G. Livadiotis, D. J. McComas, E. Moebius, T. Moore, J. Mukherjee, N.V. Pogorelov, C. Prested, D. Reisenfeld, E. Roelof, and G.P. Zank (13 November 2009) Science326 (5955), 966.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.1180986] |Abstract »|Full Text »|PDF »
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Richard A. Kerr (16 October 2009) Science326 (5951), 350-a.
[DOI: 10.1126/science.326_350a] |Summary »|Full Text »|PDF »
