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Paper: What Do We Know About the Orientation of the Local Interstellar Magnetic Field?
Volume: 385, Numerical Modeling of Space Plasma Flows: Astronum-2007
Page: 189
Authors: Ratkiewicz, R.; Ben-Jaffel, L.; Grygorczuk, J.
Abstract: About a decade ago first 3D MHD numerical simulations of the interaction of the solar wind with the magnetized interstellar plasma showed that the oblique local interstellar magnetic field (LIMF) introduces asymmetries in the heliospheric boundary. Since then, more and more observations confirm these predictions, offering a unique opportunity to uncover the strength and orientation of the LIMF. Using asymmetries observed in the spatial distribution of the Ly-α emission far from the Sun, Ben-Jaffel et al. (2000) first reported the detection of the bow shock and its deflection from upwind. It was an opportunity to estimate the direction of the unknown interstellar magnetic field to be ∼ 40deg from upwind. This result now is checked with our 3D magnetohydrodynamic model with a constant flux of neutral particles. Our new analysis confirms our previous finding for the Bis orientation. We compare our results with other recently reported observations.
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