Spacecraft Detects Mysterious “Ribbon” at Edge of Solar System

by Nancy Atkinson on October 15, 2009

Accurate timing of the incoming ENAs allows the IBEX team to obtain a higher resolution in the latitudinal direction. The inset at right shows some of the fine detail of the ribbon. Credit: Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)

Accurate timing of the incoming ENAs allows the IBEX team to obtain a higher resolution in the latitudinal direction. The inset at right shows some of the fine detail of the ribbon. Credit: Southwest Research Institute (SwRI)

Since it launched a year ago, the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) has been monitoring heliosphere and how our Sun interacts with and the local interstellar medium — the gas and dust trapped in the vacuum of space. The first results from the mission, combined with data from the Cassini mission, are showing the heliosphere to be different from what researchers have previously thought. Data show an unexpected bright band or ribbon of surprisingly high-energy emissions. “We knew there would be energetic neutral atoms coming in from the very edge of the heliosphere, and our theories said there would be small variations in their emissions,” said David McComas, IBEX Principal Investigator at a press conference on Thursday. “But instead we are seeing two-to-three hundred percent variations, and this is not entirely understood. Whatever we thought about this before is definitely not right.”

The energies IBEX has observed range from 0.2 to 6.0 kiloelectron volts, and the scientists said its flux is two to three times greater than the ENA activity throughout the rest of the heliosphere. McComas and his colleagues said that no existing model can explain all the dominant features of this “ribbon.” Instead, they suggest that these new findings will prompt a change in our understanding of the heliosphere and the processes that shape it.

This image illustrates one possible explanation for the bright ribbon of emission seen in the IBEX map. The galactic magnetic field shapes the heliosphere as it drapes over it. The ribbon appears to trace the area where the magnetic field is most parallel to the surface of the heliosphere (the heliopause). Credit: Southwest Research institute

This image illustrates one possible explanation for the bright ribbon of emission seen in the IBEX map. The galactic magnetic field shapes the heliosphere as it drapes over it. The ribbon appears to trace the area where the magnetic field is most parallel to the surface of the heliosphere (the heliopause). Credit: Southwest Research institute


McComas suggested that the energetic neutral atom (ENA) ribbon could be caused by interactions between the heliosphere and the local interstellar magnetic field. “The local interstellar magnetic field is oriented in such a way that it correlates with the ribbon. If you ‘paint’ the ribbon on the boundary of the heliosphere, the magnetic field is like big bungie cords that pushing in along the sides and at southern part of the heliosphere. Somehow the magnetic field seems to be playing a dominant roll in these interactions, but we don’t know it could produced these higher fluxes. We have to figure out what physics were are missing.”

The solar wind streaks away from the sun in all directions at over a millions kilometers per hour. It creates a bubble in space around our solar system.

For the first ten billion kilometers of its radius, the solar wind travels at over a million kilometers per hour. It slows as it begins to collide with the interstellar medium, and the point where the solar wind slows down is the termination shock; the point where the interstellar medium and solar wind pressures balance is called the heliopause; the point where the interstellar medium, traveling in the opposite direction, slows down as it collides with the heliosphere is the bow shock.

The heliosphere. Credit: NASA

The heliosphere. Credit: NASA


The Voyager spacecraft have explored this region, but didn’t detect the ribbon. Team member Eric Christian said the ribbon wound in between the location of Voyager 1 and 2, and they couldn’t detect it in their immediate areas. Voyager 1 spacecraft encountered the helioshock in 2004 when it reached the region where the charged particles streaming off the sun hit the neutral gas from interstellar space. Voyager 2 followed into the solar system’s edge in 2007. While these spacecraft made the first explorations of this region, IBEX is now revealing a a more complete picture, filling in where the Voyagers couldn’t. Christian compared Voyager 1 and 2 to be like weather stations while IBEX is first weather satellite to provide more complete coverage.

McComas said his first reaction when the data started coming in was that of terror because he thought something must be wrong with the spacecraft. But as more data kept coming back each week, the team realized that they were wrong, and the spacecraft was right.

“Our next steps will be to go through all the detailed observations and rack them up against the various models and go find what it is that we are missing, what we’ve been leaving out,” he said.

For more information and visuals, see this NASA webpage.

Tagged as: heliosphere, IBEX

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  • Anaconda

    “[T]he existence of the ribbon is ‘remarkable’ says Geoffrey Crew, a Research Scientist at MIT and the Software Design Lead for IBEX. ‘It suggests that the galactic magnetic fields are much stronger and exert far greater stresses on the heliosphere than we previously believed.’

    The discovery has scientists thinking carefully about how different the heliosphere could be than they expected.”

    The quotes are from the following linked article:

    http://wattsupwiththat.com/2009/10/17/discoveries-from-the-ibex-satellite-show-we-still-dont-know-quite-a-few-things-about-the-heliosphere-and-solar-system/

    An interesting statement from the University of Chicago and a press release on IBEX from Boston University.

    Dr Flimmer, you were right, both the Univ. of Chicago and Boston University discuss plasma physics…

  • Hon. Salacious B. Crumb

    @ Anoconda,
    More and more claptrap, eh!
    Just posting yet another mind numbing useless link, eh? Nothing beats quoting from reliable sources. Yet another EU jackass backing up another even sillier EU jackass.

    Really… Should we trust someone who has be proven as a fabricator of information, who spins half-truths and misinformation, and just has an agenda to recruit others towards propping up his own sick delusions?

    At least this thread has positively proven one thing, you now know how to spell heliopause properly!

    Once a jackass, always a jackass, I suppose…

  • damian

    The one wonderful thing about this new observation is it enlightens our understanding of the solar system as a traveling entity through the galaxy. Perhaps like a spaceship might in a fiction.

    Our solar system is traveling @ 220 Kilometers per second through a Hot interstellar cloud of dust roughly 30 light years across that in its entirety is as hot as the surface of the sun (6000 °C). The cloud is most likely the remnant of a supernova.

    Our nearest neighboring Stars are also in this cloud at around 10 light years away. Alpha Centauri, Altair, Vega, Fomalhaut and Arcturus. Are all being subject to the same interstellar weather.

    (source: Wikipedia)

    It is entirely possible that our heliosphere ribbon is a chance encounter with eccentricities of this hot dust cloud.? The great thing about IBEX is in about 6 months we will have new data.

    My own initial thought was if there is any correlation with sunspot activity. But I’m not a scientist. So its just a muse.

    Something to note, for all us ordinary plebs, It’s great to have science frame our place in the galaxy. I never thought about it in years past, but as we discover more it fascinates and inspires me. I hope I’m not the only one.

    The analogy may be early seafaring explorers who had no vision of what lay beyond the horizon, The horizon for me is now beyond the Heliosphere. :)

    Damian

  • Torbjorn Larsson OM

    It has come to my notice that this article illustrates a competition between two world views. [No, I'm not talking about EU silliness vs science reality. :-D Time for that later.]

    The second IBEX figure paints the measurement on a classical teardrop shaped heliosphere. Presumably shaped by trailing flow lines of various kinds, as the heliosphere travels in interstellar space.

    The third NASA figure paints at least the termination shock as an ellipsoid bubble. I thought that was a simplification for ease of understanding, but maybe they know something I did not:

    “Images from one of the Magnetospheric Imaging Instrument’s sensors, the Ion and Neutral Camera (MIMI/INCA), on NASA’s Cassini spacecraft suggest that the heliosphere may not have the comet-like shape predicted by existing models.

    “These images have revolutionized what we thought we knew for the past fifty years; the sun travels through the galaxy not like a comet but more like a big, round bubble” said Stamatios Krimigis, principal investigator for MIMI, which is orbiting Saturn. “It’s amazing how a single new observation can change an entire concept that most scientists had taken as true for nearly fifty years.”

    As the solar wind flows from the sun, it carves out a bubble in the interstellar medium. Models of the boundary region between the heliosphere and interstellar medium have been based on the assumption that the relative flow of the interstellar medium and its collision with the solar wind dominate the interaction. This would create a foreshortened “nose” in the direction of the solar system’s motion, and an elongated “tail” in the opposite direction.

    The INCA images suggest that the solar wind’s interaction with the interstellar medium is instead more significantly controlled by particle pressure and magnetic field energy density.

    “The map we’ve created from INCA’s images suggests that pressure from a hot population of charged particles and interaction with the interstellar medium’s magnetic field strongly influence the shape of the heliosphere,” says Don Mitchell, MIMI/INCA co-investigator at APL.”

    Seems these hot ions/neutrals are important, and carve out a Star Trek “raised shield” in the interstellar media more than a passive flow picture would tell. [Yes, I'm trying to impart as much dynamics in this as I can, dynamical processes strikes me as the naive explanation.]

  • Torbjorn Larsson OM

    And now time for silliness and seriousness.

    @ earls:

    Citation?

    My point exactly, where are the EU citations that show that EM processes affects cosmology or other large-scale processes or objects? No EU proponent can show us actual scientific work.

    EM has absolutely nothing to do with the single largest structure

    First, let us first correct the error here. The Sun gravitational field or the heliosphere itself are both larger structures.

    Second, no one denied that EM fields by themselves can be huge, they stretch towards infinity. But this is a good demonstration of how relatively unimportant EM processes are. What does this current sheet do? Absolutely no large-scale difference, besides existing:

    A small electrical current flows within the sheet, about 10?10 A/m². [...] The underlying magnetic field is called the interplanetary magnetic field, and the resulting electric current forms part of the heliospheric current circuit. [...] Near the surface of the Sun, the magnetic field produced by the radial electric current in the sheet is of the order of 5×10?6 T. The magnetic field at the surface of the Sun is about 10-4 tesla. [...] The heliospheric current sheet results in higher order multipole components so that the actual magnetic field at the Earth due to the Sun is 100 times greater. ["Heliospheric current sheet", Wikipedia.]

    As a comparison to the resulting Sun M field of 10^-9 T instead of 10^-11 T at Earth, Earth’s own field is 10^-5 to 10^-4 T at Earth surface.

    Another demonstration is in the comment I made on the Cassini observations. Note the putative importance of charged particle impulse flow (“pressure”) in shaping the heliosphere, with the magnetic field playing second fiddle to mass and velocity in this shaping.

    This discovery was predicted by EU.

    Again: references, connecting it with an actual EU theory and those putative EU scientists, wherever they are.

  • Torbjorn Larsson OM

    @ Anaconda:

    offered a few points of analysis

    No, a “random list of magnetic effects”. If you don’t agree, point out the analysis and walk through how it connects to previously declared EU belief.

    This point covers your comment from “Larsson wrote” to “star formation”.

    Torbjorn Larsson OM can’t help himself and continues to rail on against EU

    Provide statistics that shows that my behavior must be an involuntary reaction. You haven’t established that.

    [Actually, this thread provides a falsification. My first comment lead on the article, not EU beliefs.

    But I would like to see an EU believer try to provide a fact, for once in his life.]

    As regard the later observation, my “railing” is a consequence of my active stance against anti-science crackpotism. As much as any of these crackpots want to feel singled out and “special” (cue the “Galileo defense” – or as here, the “Hamlet strawman” to cover up the appeal to motive fallacy), it is a mistaken belief.

  • Torbjorn Larsson OM

    @ Dave Finton:

    So much for my attempt at starting this thread on a light-hearted note. O_o

    Oh, I think you did a LOL job! \(^_^)/

    @ Magnetic:

    I have been taught all my life by science that magnetic fields and electricity are connected.

    To complement to what HSBC and Manu so eloquently described, let me make some notes:

    - This connection is, as I will never tire to point out ["hear the groans!"], really an awesome low-velocity relativistic effect.

    We just happen to be used to it and conveniently describe magnetism as a fictive force akin to when we describe gravity as a fictive force.

    [In reality of course gravitation is effectively a curving of space-time, which for example photons as mass-less particles follows without noticing any force.]

    As an analogy, to see relativity at every day speeds is pretty much as if we would see quantum effects in every day objects, say superconductivity in every conductor. o/ o_

    - About those magnetic fields: they aren’t as strong as electric fields. Sorry to deflate your handle value. (-_-)

    A magnetic field is inherently a dipole field to its highest order (N and S, source and sink always together), which means it usually goes as r^-3 instead of r^-2 as monopole fields such as electric fields are to highest order.

    [Voluntary side note: When Our Snake makes obeisance to plasmas and magnets, he is then in fact but praying to a lesser demigod in the hierarchy of forces. As we try to point out in the "little large-scale explanation" thread.

    Well, perhaps better the devil you know. But as he obviously knows squat about science and has shown himself a prime exemplar of ignorants, which are known from observations to be too ignorant to be able to learn - at all - one wonders what the fixation is really about. Or not. o.O]

  • Torbjorn Larsson OM

    “an awesome low-velocity relativistic effect” – an awesome low-velocity relativistic effect of moving charges.

  • Anaconda

    Larsson wrote: “When Our Snake makes obeisance to plasmas and magnets, he is then in fact but praying to a lesser demigod in the hierarchy of forces.”

    Hmmm???

    The IBEX scientific articles speak for themselves.

    Dr. Anthony Peratt of the Los Alamos National Laboratory authors several peer reviewed papers that discuss and analyze large-structure phenomenon in deep-space from a Plasma Universe perspective.

    World Science Data base:

    http://www.worldnpa.org/php2/index.php?tab0=Scientists&tab1=Display&id=646

    * Note Dr. Anthony Peratt’s curriculum vitae in the link.

    Naked hostility does little to further a point of view.

  • DrFlimmer

    @ DrFlimmer:

    Dr Flimmer wrote: “There is no need to mention specifically plasma physics, because everyone knows that it is obviously involved. And obvious things are not needed to be mentioned!”

    Really? It’s so obvious that it doesn’t need to be mentioned? In fact, seemingly there is a hostile reaction if it is mentiioned.

    Your statement doesn’t make a lot of sense.

    The hostile reaction critically depends on the person who said the word “plasma physics”. I think, noone here will dispute the significance of plasma physics in astronomy. Still, it is less significant on large-scale structures and has a larger influence on smaller scales.

    Science is about explicitly stating the obvious, in fact, it is about qualitatively describing and explaining the obvious and quantitatively measuring the obvious.

    It is not necessary always to scream out: “This could have something to do with plasma physics”, because everyone knows that it has. A paper will never start like “Plasma physics is highly important for this research concerning the sun and the heliosphere” (e.g.). In order to talk about the sun and the heliosphere you NEED to solve equations related to plasma physics (MHD, e.g.). One talks about charged particles and magnetic fields, it wouldn’t make much sense to talk about the strong force, would it?

    Hanford wrote: “Seems like someone here either didn’t read your earlier post about co-investigator Fichtner or simply chose to ignore it (the usual MO). ”

    No, I didn’t ignore it and I read it.

    But simply mentioning that a researcher involved in the project is a plasma physicist adds little or nothing to a discussion for laymen, which, of course, these comments, here, on this post, most definitely are directed to.

    It was just to mention the “obvious” thing that this is related to plasma physics and that plasma physicists are involved in this research.
    Btw: Why are you contradicting yourself? On the one hand you want the obvious “plasma physics”, but when I actually mention it (explicitly for you), then it is too obvious and should have been let aside.
    And, I think, even for a layman it is interesting, who is part in this research – why not?

  • DrFlimmer

    Btw: As far as I know, there are actually TWO papers. The problem is that they are submitted to Science, which will make them unavailable for most of the readers here. If someone finds them (at Science or on arxiv), please post the links. Thanks.

  • Anaconda

    @ Dr Flimmer:

    Yes, I appreciated your mentioning the researcher’s plasma physics training.

    That was all well and good and didn’t need a response. In hindsight, I could have acknowledged your comment, my bad.

    It was only when you used that mention as a justification for failing to explicitly discuss the plasma physics aspects (which seem significant) of this observation & measurement that I objected.

    A nuanced approach seems in order.

    For both sides of the discussion :-)

  • Anaconda

    Additional quotation from Physics World:

    “According to McComas [IBEX Principal Investigator], the ribbon seems to be full of charged particles, which seem to have been concentrated along its length –- but how they got there is a mystery.

    IBEX data suggest the alignment of the ribbon is related to the local interstellar magnetic field, which could mean that its origins lie outside of the solar system. The ribbon also appears to have a fine structure, suggesting that the ion concentrations vary along its length.”

    http://physicsworld.com/cws/article/news/40676

    So, the ribbon is not made-up exclusively of neutral atoms.

  • Anaconda

    “These images have revolutionized what we thought we knew for the past fifty years; the sun travels through the galaxy not like a comet but more like a big, round bubble” said Stamatios Krimigis, principal investigator for MIMI, which is orbiting Saturn. “It’s amazing how a single new observation can change an entire concept that most scientists had taken as true for nearly fifty years.”

    http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/10/091016101807.htm

  • Hon. Salacious B. Crumb

    Again more fictions upon more fictions as stated by Anaconda.

    Again, magnetic fields are important, but they are not highly significant to explaining nearly all of known astronomical phenomena. It is totally wrong to suggest that phenomena is exclusive to plasma physical.

    As for him saying “So, the ribbon is not made-up exclusively of neutral atoms.” Cherry-picking, again. .

    No one has said this, nor has even suggested such a premise. Saying this repeatably so is very disingenuous.

    As for saying “Naked hostility does little to further a point of view.” is yet another delusion.

    Much of the hostility is YOUR OWN DOING.

    How many times does someone have to explain that you are WRONG in your views of plasma physics!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

    It is clear that plasma has just been hijacked by individuals who haven’t got a clue about actual science or astrophysics.Bashing everyone over the head with you usual diatribe is not going to work, and nobody is going to let you get away with it – especially me.

    Pretending otherwise just makes you look foolish!

  • IVAN3MAN

    I’m a late arrival to this bloody rowdy party, because I’ve had more important business to attend to, and I haven’t all the comments, but here goes…

    Anaconda:

    SBC presents my (Anaconda’s) comment: “Of course, magnetic fields are caused by electric current, as confirmed by NASA: “Moreover, electric current causes magnetic fields (see Electromagnetism)…”

    And SBC responds: “Who needs NASA to confirm this?? Even a very young elementary school kid knows this to be true!!”

    Silly me for remembering IVAN3MAN’s constant attack when I’ve pointed out the ubiquitous presence of magnetic fields in deep-space before on this website. But Hey, SBC, I’m happy you and I agree on something

    Err… dude, NASA did not say that electric currents are the only cause of magnetic fields — remember intrinsic magnetism of elementary particles? No, you probably ignored that fact, which I had explained to you on previous threads, as usual!

    Also, care to explain what is the “Electric Universe” belief, er… sorry, ‘hypothesis’ is as to the source/cause of the ubiquitous interstellar/galactic magnetic fields, hmm?

  • IVAN3MAN

    D’OH! In the second line, it should read: “… and I haven’t read all the comments…”

    Hey, administrators! Can we have a preview/edit facility here, before I end up killing somebody?!

  • Nexus

    Don’t worry, Ivan. People will be able to follow you even if you do make the occasional typo or miss a word.

  • Anaconda

    Crumb,

    Relax…

  • Hon. Salacious B. Crumb

    Anaconda said; “Relax”
    Just to let you know I am.

    Really. We know your EU stance is mostly totally preposterous and silly, and I already know that your halcyon days are already numbered.

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