Dynamics of Particles Associated With Nonlinear Development of Shock-like Structures in the Solar Wind

Details Dynamics of Particles Associated With Nonlinear Development of Shock-like Structures in the Solar Wind Dynamics of Particles Associated With Nonlinear Development of Shock-like Structures in the Solar Wind

Dec 2009

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2009agufmsh31a1474l&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2009, abstract #SH31A-1474

Physics

Plasma Physics

[7839] Space Plasma Physics / Nonlinear Phenomena, [7846] Space Plasma Physics / Plasma Energization, [7851] Space Plasma Physics / Shock Waves, [7867] Space Plasma Physics / Wave/Particle Interactions

Scientific paper

Various nonlinear structures have been observed in the upstream region of Earth’s bow shock. The structures often develop into shock-like structures, which may illustrate the early phase of collisionless shock development. In this study we investigate dynamics of particles associated with the development of the shock-like structures using Cluster multi-spacecraft measurements. Cluster has observed that compressional pulses formed at the upstream edge of density holes grow and steepen into shock-like structures. Examination of phase space distributions of ions shows that at the shock-like structures with amplified magnetic field solar wind ions are just compressed without significant thermalization, which is different from the dynamics of ions observed at Earth's bow shock. Electrons also behave differently from those observed at Earth's bow shock. While the phase space distribution of electrons at Earth's bow shock becomes isotropic, flat-top shape, only a field-aligned component, which moves away from Earth's bow shock, is accelerated, remaining the other part of the distribution unchanged. This results in the generation of large field-aligned current, which could play a significant role in the amplification and dissipation of magnetic field. Wave observations show that broad-band whistler mode waves are enhanced at the shock-like structures, suggesting that the acceleration of electrons results from wave-particle interactions. These observations suggest that electrons play a dominant role in the development of the shock-like structures.

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