Evidence of magnetic reconnection observed in the heliosheath by Voyager-2

We present new evidence of active magnetic reconnection observed by Voyager-2 in the heliosheath region beyond the termination shock in the outer heliosphere. Multiple cases have been identified in which significant plasma jets are present during heliospheric current sheet crossings, or sector reversals. Using a combination of the plasma and magnetic field measurements from Voyager-2, candidate events are identified by rotating the magnetic field and plasma velocity vector data into a minimum-variance, LMN-coordinate frame, prior to checking consistency with the Walen relation on the corresponding plasma jet. In the LMN frame, the candidate events are selected based on consistency with the expected geometry of current sheets undergoing magnetic reconnection. The Walen relation further supports consistency with the physics of magnetic reconnection, in which the outflow jets of reconnected field and plasma are ejected from the reconnection site at the Alfvén speed. Error analysis based on limitations of the Voyager-2 data is accounted for throughout the process. In this presentation, we detail the event identification and walk through an example case before presenting several other cases. All combined, confirmation of active magnetic reconnection ongoing in the heliosheath has important implications concerning the heating of plasma in the outer heliosphere and the acceleration of pickup ions and possibly even anomalous cosmic rays.