Three-dimensional MHD simulation of the dynamic heliosphere

Abstract

The dynamical outer heliosphere is analyzed for the period 2001.9.10–2006.12.3 by three‐dimensional (3D) MHD simulation using the Voyager 2 (V2) solar wind data. In this simulation, it is found that the termination shock (TS) position moved almost parallel to V1, and was near V1 during the period from about September 2002, when the observations of the TS‐particles initiated at V1, to the time of the TS‐crossing at 2004.12.16. During this period, the TS‐position moved outward at every time when a high ram‐pressure solar wind pulse arrived at the TS, but the distance between V1 and the TS was within 7 AU. At the end of the series of the high ram‐pressure pulses in July, 2004, the TS began to move inward and then V1 crossed the TS. This TS inward motion continued for 1.2 years up to October, 2005 when the TS was located at about 85 AU from the sun. After the middle of October the TS started to move outward again, and it reached about 95 AU at the end of this simulation 2006.12.3. The motion of the Heliopause...