The Transport of Pickup Ions in the Turbulent Local Interstellar Magnetic Field and its Implication for ENAs Observed at 1AU

Abstract:

We discuss the physics of charged-particle transport in
the turbulent local interstellar magnetic field and its
implications for energetic neutral atoms (ENAs)
observed at Earth. We have developed a numerical model which
integrates the equations of motion for a very large number
of particles in a kinematically defined representation of
the interstellar magnetic field. The field consists of both
a mean and a random component, the latter is determined
using an assumed Kolgomorove-like magnetic power spectrum with a
coherence scale of a few parsecs and a variance (over all scales)
equal to the square of the mean field. Of particular importance
are the fluctuations with scales shorter than the size of the
heliosphere which are those which the particles experience. Our
model estimates the distribution of locally ionized charged particles
in the LISM, which then interact with cold interstellar H atoms to
produce ENAs that can be observed at Earth. We will discuss
comparisons with with other, similar models and spacecraft
observations.