Observations of Low-Frequency Magnetic Waves due to Newborn Interstellar Pickup Ions Using ACE, Ulysses, and Voyager Data

Abstract

Wave excitation by newborn interstellar pickup ions (PUIs) plays a significant role in theories that attempt to describe IBEX and Voyager observations in the solar wind and heliosheath. The same dynamic processes can be far-reaching and extend into the inner heliosphere to at least 1AU and likely to smaller heliocentric distances. While the high-resolution magnetic field measurements required to study these waves are not yet available in the heliosheath, we have studied a range of available observations and found evidence of waves due to interstellar PUIs using ACE (1998–2015 at 1 AU), Ulysses (1996–2006 at 2 to 5 AU, high and low latitudes) and Voyager (1978–1979 and 2 to 6 AU) observations. Efforts to extend the Voyager observations to 35 AU are ongoing. We have examined these data sets and report on observations of low-frequency waves that result from newborn interstellar pickup H+ and He+ ions. Although not as common as theory originally predicted, we presently have identified 524 independent occurrences. Our conclusion from studying these waves is that they are seen only when the ambient turbulence is sufficiently weak. The instability that generates these waves requires a slow accumulation of wave energy over several to tens of hours to achieve observable wave amplitudes. In regions where the turbulence is moderate to strong, the turbulence absorbs the wave energy before it can reach observable levels and transports the energy to the dissipation scales where it heats the background thermal particles. Only intervals with the weakest turbulence will permit energy accumulation over this time scale. These conditions are most often, but not exclusively, achieved in solar wind rarefaction regions.