Near-Earth Supernovae in the Past 10 Myr: Implications for the Heliosphere

Abstract

We summarize evidence that multiple supernovae exploded within 100 pc of Earth in the past few Myr. These events had dramatic effects on the heliosphere, compressing it to within ~20 au. We advocate for cross-disciplinary research of nearby supernovae, including on interstellar dust and cosmic rays. We urge for support of theory work, direct exploration, and study of extrasolar astrospheres.Comment: White paper submitted to the Solar and Space Physics 2024 Decadal Surve