Investigating the outer regions of the heliosphere with measurements and simulations of interstellar dust

Abstract

<p>Interstellar dust has been and will be measured by many spacecraft, both directly (e.g. by <em>Cassini</em>, <em>Ulysses</em>, DESTINY<sup>+</sup>, IMAP) and indirectly (e.g. by <em>Voyager</em>, <em>Wind</em>). The flux of interstellar dust at these spacecraft can be enhanced, in particular for small dust grains (<0.3µm), due to the so-called focusing phase of the solar cycle (for dust), in the early 2030s.</p><p>Through their surface charges, these small particles are coupled to the solar-cycle-dependent magnetic fields inside and to interstellar fields outside of the heliosphere. By comparing the measurements to simulations of interstellar dust, inferences about the outer regions of the heliosphere and its boundary can be made. The quality of these inferences highly depends on the availability of detailed measurements of interstellar dust, highlighting the necessity of a space-based dust detector operating during the upcoming focusing phase, such as the proposed DOLPHIN mission.</p><p>In this talk we give an overview of measurements and simulations of the measurements of various missions so far, and their link to interstellar dust simulations. </p>