Voyager 1 Electron Densities in the Very Local Interstellar Medium to beyond 160 au

Abstract

The two Voyager spacecraft have been exploring the interstellar medium beyond the heliopause since 2012 (Voyager 1) and 2018 (Voyager 2). Electron plasma oscillations and a quasi-thermal noise line at the electron plasma frequency have enabled the determination of the electron density in this region, revealing a radial density gradient convolved with shocks and pressure fronts. Voyager 1 has a functioning wideband receiver that provides high-spectral-resolution observations allowing the detection of the quasi-thermal noise line and has now provided electron densities to 161.4 au. Since a pressure pulse observed in 2020 around day 146 at about 149 au, the density has remained relatively constant at 0.147 cm ^−3 based on the most recent observations from 2023, suggesting that Voyager 1 has reached a broad density peak and possibly a new regime.

Keywords

• Interstellar medium
• Interstellar plasma
• Space plasmas
• Astrosphere interstellar medium interactions