Astronomy and Astrophysics – Astrophysics
Scientific paper
Jul 1980
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1980a%26a....87...20p&link_type=abstract
Astronomy and Astrophysics, vol. 87, no. 1-2, July 1980, p. 20-30.
Astronomy and Astrophysics
Astrophysics
12
Astrophysics, Critical Velocity, Interstellar Gas, Plasma Interactions, Solar Wind, Charge Exchange, Electron Energy, Electron Impact, Gas Ionization, Hydrogen, Neutral Gases, Photoionization
Scientific paper
The critical velocity effect for the counterstreaming of a neutral gas and a magnetized plasma, in which strongly enhanced ionization of the neutral gas and slowing of the relative motion are produced if the relative velocity exceeds a critical value, is discussed in relation to the interaction of the solar wind and neutral interstellar hydrogen gas. Implications of the effect for heliospheric parameters are examined by the simultaneous solution of the coupled continuity equations for solar wind proton mass, momentum and energy, the mass of the interstellar hydrogen, and the number of hot electrons created by critical velocity effects. It is shown that the electrons of the outer solar wind can be prevented from adiabatically cooling to nonionizing energies, leading to a stronger deceleration of the solar wind, a weaker radial decrease of its density and a steeper radial increase of outer solar wind proton temperature and interstellar gas density than expected from photoionization and charge exchange alone. In addition, the solar wind terminating shock is weakened and the radius of the heliopause is reduced. Local observations of plasma particle properties are recommended as the only way of verifying the critical velocity effect in the outer heliosphere.
Axnas Ingvar
Brenning Nils
Fahr Hans Jörg
Petelski E. F.
Ripken H. W.
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