THE EFFECTS OF LOCAL INTERSTELLAR MAGNETIC FIELD ON ENERGETIC NEUTRAL ATOM SKY MAPS

We study the effects of the strength and direction of the local interstellar magnetic field (ISMF) on the heliosphere geometry that generates the locus of points associated with the position of the IBEX ribbon of energetic neutral atoms. MHD heliosphere models are run for a variety of ISMF parameters to specifically study the correlation between locations of maxima of the ISMF magnitude along the field lines and places where the local ISMF B is perpendicular to radial vectors r from the Sun, i.e., B . r = 0. The study confirms the existence of a strong physical relationship between the ribbon and the ISMF.