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Whistler damping at oblique propagation - Laminar shock precursorsThis paper addresses the collisionless damping of whistlers observed as precursors standing upstream of oblique, low-Mach number terrestrial bow shocks. The linear theory of electromagnetic waves in a homogeneous Vlasov plasma with Maxwellian distribution functions and a magnetic field is considered. Numerical solutions of the full dispersion equation are presented for whistlers propagating at an arbitrary angle with respect to the magnetic field. It is demonstrated that electron Landau damping attenuates oblique whistlers and that the parameter which determines this damping is beta-e. In a well-defined range of parameters, this theory provides damping lengths which are the same order of magnitude as those observed. Thus electron Landau damping is a plausible process in the dissipation of upstream whistlers. Nonlinear plasma processes which may contribute to precursor damping are also discussed, and criteria for distinguishing among these are described.
Document ID
19850036961
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Gary, S. P.
(Los Alamos National Laboratory Los Alamos, NM, United States)
Mellott, M. M.
(Iowa, University Iowa City, IA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1985
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 90
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
85A19112
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS5-26819
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAS10-23726
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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