ON THE PROBLEM OF THE SOLAR-WIND INTERACTION WITH MAGNETIZED INTERSTELLAR PLASMA

The interaction between the solar wind and the magnetized plasma compo nent of the local interstellar medium (LISM) is computed by solving ax isymmetric magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations. The solar wind is assu med to be non-magnetized. The magnetic field of the undisturbed LISM i s assumed to be parallel to the supersonic incident flow. The influenc e of the magnetic field on the shape and position of the bow shock, th e heliopause and the terminal shock is investigated. It is shown that the distance between the bow shock and the heliopause along the critic al streamline becomes shorter in the magnetized case, leading to great er transparency of this region in respect to interstellar H atom penet ration into the solar system. An opposite effect of the magnetic field is observed in the wings. The numerical results of Fujimoto & Matsuda (1991) on a similar problem are discussed.