Plasma and magnetic fields in the heliosheath Available to Purchase

This paper reviews recent results from the Voyager spacecraft in the heliosheath. The speed observed at Voyager 2 (V2) has been constant across the heliosheath, but the flow is turning significantly toward the heliotail. The V2 density and temperature decreased in 2008 and stayed low until 2011 when the density increased by a factor of 2 and the temperature by 40%, possibly signaling the departure of solar minimum conditions from the heliosheath. The plasma flux at V2 has increased relative to that at Wind at 1 AU, possibly a solar cycle effect. The magnetic flux is expected to be constant through the heliosphere. At V2 this flux is constant, but at V1 the magnetic flux decreases by nearly an order of magnitude from 2007-2011 even when non-radial flow is taken into account. One possible cause is removal of magnetic flux by reconnection in the heliosheath.