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An Approximate Solution for the Circumsolar Flow Field of a Sun Moving Through the Local Interstellar Medium (LISM)The solar system is in relative motion with respect to the ambient interstellar medium. The supersonic solar wind is expected to pass through the termination shock, thus the solar wind plasma eventually has to enter into an asymptotic outflow geometry appropriately adopted to this counterflow situation. Many attempts have been done to simulate the interaction between the solar wind and the LISM numerically. In this paper we generalize a Parker type analytical solution of the counterflow. The idea is to introduce a special kind of compressibility of the solar wind flow. With the assumption that only a transversal component of the density gradient normal to the flow lines exists we are able to calculate a full set of hydrodynamical quantities describing the circumsolar flow field of a Sun moving through the LISM. The equations governing the velocity and density fields lead to analytical solutions which can be taken as good approximations to the more general case of compressible plasma flows.
Document ID
20020008318
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Ratkiewicz, Romana E.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Scherer, Klaus
(University of Southern California Los Angeles, CA United States)
Fahr, Hans J.
(Bonn Univ. Germany)
Cuzzi, Jeffrey N.
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1994
Subject Category
Solar Physics
Report/Patent Number
AGU-001402749
Meeting Information
Meeting: 1994 Fall American Geophysical Union Meeting
Location: San Francisco, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: December 5, 1994
End Date: December 9, 1994
Sponsors: American Geophysical Union
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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