Energetic neutral atoms from the Earth's subsolar magnetopause

S. A. Fuselier; H. O. Funsten; D. Heirtzler; P. Janzen; H. Kucharek; D. J. McComas; E. M̈bius; T. E. Moore; S. M. Petrinec; D. B. Reisenfeld; N. A. Schwadron; K. J. Trattner; P. Wurz

doi:10.1029/2010GL044140

Energetic neutral atoms from the Earth's subsolar magnetopause

S. A. Fuselier, H. O. Funsten, D. Heirtzler, P. Janzen, H. Kucharek, D. J. McComas, E. M̈bius, T. E. Moore, S. M. Petrinec, D. B. Reisenfeld, N. A. Schwadron, K. J. Trattner, P. Wurz

Physics and Astronomy

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74 Scopus citations

Abstract

The shocked solar wind in the Earth's magnetosheath becomes nearly stationary at the subsolar magnetopause. At this location, solar wind protons are neutralized by charge exchange with neutral hydrogen atoms at the extreme limits of the Earth's tenuous exosphere. The resulting Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs) propagate away from the subsolar region in nearly all directions. Simultaneous observations of hydrogen ENAs from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) and proton distributions in the magnetosheath from the Cluster spacecraft are used to quantify this charge exchange process. By combining these observations with a relatively simple model, estimates are obtained for the ratio of ENA to shocked solar wind flux (about 10^-4) and the exospheric density at distances greater than 10 Earth Radii (RE) upstream from the Earth (about 8 cm^-3).

Original language	English
Article number	L13101
Journal	Geophysical Research Letters
Volume	37
Issue number	13
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1029/2010GL044140
State	Published - Jul 1 2010

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title = "Energetic neutral atoms from the Earth's subsolar magnetopause",

abstract = "The shocked solar wind in the Earth's magnetosheath becomes nearly stationary at the subsolar magnetopause. At this location, solar wind protons are neutralized by charge exchange with neutral hydrogen atoms at the extreme limits of the Earth's tenuous exosphere. The resulting Energetic Neutral Atoms (ENAs) propagate away from the subsolar region in nearly all directions. Simultaneous observations of hydrogen ENAs from the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX) and proton distributions in the magnetosheath from the Cluster spacecraft are used to quantify this charge exchange process. By combining these observations with a relatively simple model, estimates are obtained for the ratio of ENA to shocked solar wind flux (about 10-4) and the exospheric density at distances greater than 10 Earth Radii (RE) upstream from the Earth (about 8 cm-3).",

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AU - Fuselier, S. A.

AU - Funsten, H. O.

AU - Heirtzler, D.

AU - Janzen, P.

AU - Kucharek, H.

AU - McComas, D. J.

AU - M̈bius, E.

AU - Moore, T. E.

AU - Petrinec, S. M.

AU - Reisenfeld, D. B.

AU - Schwadron, N. A.

AU - Trattner, K. J.

AU - Wurz, P.

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Energetic neutral atoms from the Earth's subsolar magnetopause

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