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Magnetic pulsations at the quasi-parallel shockThe plasma and field properties of large-amplitude magnetic field pulsatins upstream from the quasi-parallel region of the earth's bow shock are examined in high time resolution using data from ISEE 1 and 2. The relative timing of the magnetic field profiles observed at the two spacecraft shows that some of the pulsations are convecting antisunward across the spacecraft while others are brief out/in motions of bow shock across the spacecraft. Pulsations with both timing signatures are the site of slowing and heating of the solar wind plasma. The ions tend to be only weakly heated in the convecting pulsations, while within the out/in pulsations the ion heating can be quite substantial but variable. This variation occurs not only from pulsation to pulsation but also from point to point within a given pulsation. In general, the hottest distributions within the out/in pulsations tend to occur in regions of lower density and field strength. Magnetic pulsations bear a number of similarities to previously identified hot diamagnetic cavity events as well as to more durable crossings of the quasi-parallel shock itself. These various phenomena may be different manifestations of the same basic physical processes, in particular the coupling of coherently reflected ions to the solar wind beam.
Document ID
19900035874
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Thomsen, M. F.
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM, United States)
Gosling, J. T.
(Los Alamos National Lab. NM, United States)
Bame, S. J.
(Los Alamos National Laboratory NM, United States)
Russell, C. T.
(California, University Los Angeles, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
February 1, 1990
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 95
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
90A22929
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-1067
CONTRACT_GRANT: NASA ORDER S-04039-D
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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