fields in contrast to the expectations of the CR–

B

relationship, (3) the first sharp jump in the cosmic ray counting rate, and (4) a second similarly sharp jump in the counting rate bringing the counting rate up to a constant level characteristic of the nearby interstellar magnetic fields and particles" Figure 5. "Important features of the magnetic field and cosmic rays related to the transition from the magnetosheath to the interstellar plasma. (a) Magnetic field strength

B

, (b) azimuthal angle

λ

, (c) elevation angle

δ

, and (d) counting rate of cosmic rays >70 MeV/nuc. The third and sixth vertical lines, which extend from top to bottom of the figure, mark the interval from the beginning of the first step of the cosmic ray increase to the end of the second step. The "?" emphasizes that the structure and processes within this region are not understood. The fourth and fifth vertical lines refer to a sector boundary SB-1 and a current sheet CS0, which marks the beginning of observations of the away-polarity interstellar magnetic field." "During 2012,

B

increased to the highest values observed since

V1

crossed the TS. The cosmic ray counting rate also increased very rapidly in a notable "two-step profile" to a plateau which persisted until the end of the data set at 2013.5863 (2013/215)."

Those high energy particles possess 40 times the pressure of the solar wind particles. At the same time, it was observed that coronal mass ejections (CME) would cause a 30% reduction in cosmic ray intensity at that location. These findings show that the so-called "Forbush decrease" is caused mainly by coronal mass ejections (CME), not by the 11 year cycle of sunspot numbers and solar flares.

Figure 6. Neutron counts from a cosmic ray monitoring station in Moscow. Radiation levels dropped in early Sept. during a period of intense solar activity

NASA said that the solar system is passing through

Local Interstellar Cloud

or "Local Fluf f" It's about 30 light years wide and contains a wispy mixture of hydrogen and helium atoms at a temperature of 6000°C. "Using data from Voyager, we have discovered a strong magnetic field just outside the solar system," explains Merav Opher, a NASA Heliophysics Guest Investigator from George Mason University. This magnetic field holds the interstellar cloud together and solves the long-standing puzzle of how it can exist at all. Voyager data showd that

the Fluff

is much more strongly magnetized than anyone h ad previously suspected. "The fac t that

the Fluff

is strongly magnetized means that other clouds in the galactic neighborhood could be, too. Eventually, the solar system will run into some of them, and their strong magnetic fields could compress the heliosphere even more than it is compressed now. Additional compression could allow more cosmic rays to reach the inner solar system, possibly affecting terrestrial climate and the ability of astronauts to travel safely through space." The above findings by Voyager, are in agreement with the findings of IBEX (Interstellar Boundary Explorer) (Fuselier

et al

., 2009; Gruntman

et al

., 2001; Funsten

et al

., 2001). The spacecraft has carried out the first all-sky maps of the heliosphere and the data collected by it proved the previous data obtained by Voyager. At the same time IBEX detected something new and totally unexpected. A giant ribbon of high energy particles floating at the edge of the solar system. "This is an important finding," says Arik Posner, IBEX program scientist, quoted on NASA's website. "Interstellar space just beyond the edge of the solar system is mostly unexplored territory. Now we know, there could be a strong, well- organized magnetic field sitting right on our doorstep." "That cannot be a coincidence," said IBEX principal investigator Dave McComas.

But what does it mean? No one knows. "We're missing some fundamental aspect of the interaction b etween the Heliosphere and the rest of the ga laxy. McComas added "This is a shocking new result. We had no idea this ribbon existed--or what has created it. Our previous ideas about the outer heliosphere are going to have to be revised." Theorists are