SOHO/SWAN hydrogen absorption cell data have been used for the determination of the hydrogen flow direction. A new method, independent of the H-cell characteristics and aging, and extremely weakly sensitive to radiative transfer line profile broadening, allows to use a simple forward "hot model". We have compared its results with the previous model-independent determination by Quemerais et al. (1999), for which we have now provided a correction. The two methods lead to the same result, i.e. the neutral hydrogen flow is found to be deflected relative to the helium flow by about 4°. The most likely explanation is a distortion of the heliosphere under the action of an ambient interstellar magnetic field. In this case the two helium and hydrogen flow vectors constrain the direction of the magnetic field, and act as an interstellar magnetic compass.
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机译：SOHO / SWAN氢吸收细胞数据已被用于测定氢气流动方向。一种新的方法，独立于H-Cell特性和老化，对辐射转移线概况的极其弱敏感，允许使用简单的前向“热模型”。我们将其结果与Quemera et al的先前的模型无关决定进行了比较。 （1999），我们现在提供了纠正。这两种方法导致相同的结果，即发现中性氢气流量相对于氦流量偏转约4°。最可能的解释是在环境星际磁场的作用下的氦圈的变形。在这种情况下，两个氦气和氢气矢量限制了磁场的方向，并充当星际磁指南针。
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