Other
Scientific paper
Jan 1995
adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1995phdt........36s&link_type=abstract
Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE, 1995.Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 57-02, Section: B, page: 114
Other
Solar Wind, Comet
Scientific paper
The physics of shock waves within the heliosphere is investigated in this thesis. Two specific problems are considered. (i) First, we model the interaction between the solar wind and a comet. This is accomplished by treating solar wind protons, electrons and ejected cometary ions as distinct fluids. This results in a set of multi-fluid equations in which we have simultaneously included mass injection and a magnetic field. In one dimension, by neglecting the time dependent terms, it is possible to reduce this system of multi-fluid equations to a single, nonlinear, first order ordinary differential equation. Such an equation describes the structure of a shock transition of finite width. This equation is solved for widely varying parameters and, where relevant, the solutions are compared with cometary data. We find that mass loading and associated dissipative processes have non-negligible effects on cometary bow shocks. Mass loading gives rise to "switch on" behaviour which would not otherwise be allowed in classical MHD shock theory, due to the high plasma beta in the vicinity of the bow shock. (ii) Second, we investigate the interaction of the solar wind termination shock with disturbances incident from the upstream solar wind. We find that the termination shock is not likely to be stationary, due to the highly disturbed nature of the solar wind. We also find that collisions between the termination shock and embedded solar wind disturbances give rise to large amplitude density spikes in the heliosheath. These density spikes may be associated with the strong 2 kHz and 3 kHz radio events of 1983-84 and 1992-93.
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