Component Reconnexion at the Heliopause

Extended X lines of component reconnection at the heliopause are derived from 3D MHD simulations of the steady state heliosphere (Alouani-Bibi et al 2010, Opher et al 2009). A similar study established this technique to describe the extended shape of reconnection X-lines at the magnetosphere, as result of its interaction with the interplanetary field of varying orientation (Moore et al., 2002). At the heliopause, reconnection X-line candidates are derived on the basis of geometrical criteria, allowing for shear angles between the interacting fields of less than 180 degree (Cowley 1976) and properties of the magnetic fields and flows outside (interstellar medium) and inside (interplanetary space beyond the termination shock) the heliopause. Kinetic effects addressed by Swisdak et al. (2009) and Opher et al. (2010) can inhibit large scale component reconnection, leading to more localized and nearly anti-parallel reconnection, possibly accounting for the persistent hot spot in IBEX heliopause ribbon.