NASA’s IBEX Observations Deciphers Interstellar Magnetic Field

Interstellar boundary explorer has helped scientists determine the strength and direction of the magnetic field outside the heliosphere enabling a peek into the magnetic forces that dominate the galaxy beyond. The new study is based on one particular theory of the origin of the IBEX ribbon, in which the particles streaming in from the ribbon are actually solar material reflected back at us after a long journey to the edges of the sun’s magnetic boundaries, researchers remarked.


IBEX ribbon was a phenomenon observed in 2008 where in space more particles streamed in through a long, skinny swath in the sky than anywhere else. The IBEX ribbon particles interact with the interstellar magnetic field and travel inwards toward Earth, collectively giving the impression of a ribbon spanning across the sky.

Some solar wind protons that flow out from the sun gain an electron, turn neutral; allowing them to cross the heliopause. Once in the interstellar medium, they can lose that electron again, making them gyrate around the interstellar magnetic field. If with any luck those particles pick up another electron at the right place and time, they can be fired back into the heliosphere, travel all the way back toward Earth, and collide with IBEX’s detector.

When they hit the detector carrying information about all the interaction with the interstellar magnetic field they give us unprecedented insight into the characteristics of that region of space and this how the whole system works.

The characteristic of the interstellar magnetic field determines the directions of different ribbon particles shooting back toward Earth. The new study corroborates the idea that particles from outside the heliosphere that form the IBEX ribbon actually originate at the sun – and reveals information about the distant interstellar magnetic field.

They correctly predict the locations of neutral ribbon particles at different energies, which can be used to understand how our space environment interacts with the interstellar environment beyond the heliopause. The enigma of cause of IBEX ribbon could also be explained successfully with this interaction hope scientists.

In the past only Voyager 1 has ever made direct observations of the interstellar magnetic field, albeit a bit distorted. The current analysis provides a nice determination of its strength and direction farther out, quoted Eric Zirnstein, a space scientist at the Southwest Research Institute in San Antonio, Texas, and lead author on the study.

The study was published in Astrophysical Journal.

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