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SP-349/396 PIONEER ODYSSEY
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- Figure 6-1. Fast streams of solar
wind catch up with slow streams and produce scattering regions
that prevent low energy cosmic rays from penetrating into the
Solar System. The average velocity of the solar wind changes
imperceptibly to the orbit of Jupiter but, as shown in the lower
diagram, the range of fluctuations is remarkably diminished at
this distance. Pioneer 10 and 11 might reach the boundary where
this scattering effect ends and galactic cosmic rays would be
expected to increase in intensity. To eight times Earth's distance
from the Sun there is no sign of approaching such a
boundary.
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