Knot in the Ribbon at the Edge of the Solar System 'Unties'

[n2doc]

ScienceDaily (Oct. 1, 2010) — The unusual "knot" in the bright, narrow ribbon of neutral atoms emanating in from the boundary between our solar system and interstellar space appears to have "untied," according to a paper published online in the Journal of Geophysical Research.

Researchers believe the ribbon, first revealed in maps produced by NASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) spacecraft, forms in response to interactions between interstellar space and the heliosphere, the protective bubble in which the Earth and other planets reside. Sensitive neutral atom detectors aboard IBEX produce global maps of this region every six months.

Analyses of the first map, released last fall, suggest the ribbon is somehow ordered by the direction of the local interstellar magnetic field outside the heliosphere, influencing the structure of the heliosphere more than researchers had previously believed. The knot feature seen in the northern portion of the ribbon in the first map stood apart from the rest of the ribbon as the brightest feature at higher energies.

While the second map, released publicly with the just-published paper, shows the large-scale structure of the ribbon to be generally stable within the six-month period, changes are also apparent. The polar regions of the ribbon display lower emissions and the knot diminishes by as much as a third and appears to "untie" as it spreads out to both lower and higher latitudes.

more

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/09/100930121000.htm



Top: The IBEX science team compares the first and second maps to reveal whether there are time variations in the ribbon or the more distributed emissions around the ribbon. We see that the first and second maps are relatively similar; however, there are significant time variations as well. Bottom: One of the clear features visible in the IBEX maps is an apparent knot in the ribbon. This visualization shows a close-up of the ribbon (green and red) superimposed on the stars and constellations in the nighttime sky. (Credit: IBEX Science Team/Goddard Scientific Visualization Studio/ESA)

[liberal N proud]

1. Oh oh

I hope all the stars don't escape


:hi:

[old mark]

2. ...so this will end the world in 2012? nt

[GreenStormCloud]

3. That has the potential to effect Earth's weather.

It will be interesting to see what happens here.

[Richardo]

4. This is what happens when you bomb the Moon.

There were those on DU who tried to warn them :scared:

[Jamastiene]

5. Ruh roh

Who let the solar system out of the bag?!?!?!

[Orsino]

6. Goddammit.

Now I'm gonna be picking at it constantly.

[golddigger]

7. You would think God would know how to tie a knot

that wouldn't come undone.

[sonomak]

8. LAT version: Solar system's shield may be leaking

Solar system's shield may be leaking
The heliosphere appears to be letting in more cosmic rays, which could pose hazards for long-duration space travelers.
By Thomas H. Maugh II, Los Angeles Times
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-sci-cosmic-rays-20101001,0,2412298.story