Plasma wave evidence for reflected ions in front of subcritical shocks - ISEE 1 and 2 observations

Details Plasma wave evidence for reflected ions in front of subcritical shocks - ISEE 1 and 2 observations Plasma wave evidence for reflected ions in front of subcritical shocks - ISEE 1 and 2 observations

May 1987

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1987jgr....92.4730g&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research (ISSN 0148-0227), vol. 92, May 1, 1987, p. 4730-4734.

Physics

28

Bow Waves, Geomagnetism, International Sun Earth Explorers, Ion Acoustic Waves, Plasma Waves, Shock Waves

Scientific paper

Plasma wave profiles of bow shock crossings at ion acoustic frequencies exhibit 'feet' or 'pedestals', just as magnetic field profiles do. These ion-acoustic feet, consisting of increases in ion wave amplitude over background, are observed in front of virtually all quasi-perpendicular shocks, regardless of Mach number, but are closely associated with magnetic feet and reflected ions circulating around the ambient upstream field at supercritical shocks. Observed gyroradii of the reflected ions have been found to be commensurate with the thicknesses of the magnetic feet, which consist of increases in average field magnitude just outside the main shock ramps in front of supercritical shocks. Estimated scale lengths (gyroradii) of reflected protons are proportional to the thicknesses of acoustic wave feet in all cases, indicating that such protons are probably universally present at subcritical as well as supercritical shocks, although the protons are observed only sporadically because of instrumental limitations. The mere presence or absence of reflected ions in front of a shock may therefore be an insufficient diagnostic of the shock's status with respect to criticality and ion dissipation.

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