Reconnection at the Heliopause: Predictions for Voyager 2

Abstract

Predicted and observed properties of the inner and outer heliosheath were recently used to assess whether magnetic reconnection was occurring at the Voyager 1 crossing of the heliopause. It was concluded that reconnection may not have been occurring locally, but may have been occurring at a location remote from Voyager 1. Here observations of 37 to 70 keV electrons measured by the LECP instrument on Voyager 1 are interpreted as possible evidence for remote reconnection and the study is extended to the heliopause near the projected crossing location of Voyager 2, where the plasma depletion layer (PDL) should be significantly stronger. The predicted plasma properties are used to determine if local reconnection is possible at this projected heliopause crossing.