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A Study of Uranus' Bow Shock Motions Using Langmuir WavesDuring the Voyager 2 flyby of Uranus, strong electron plasma oscillations (Langmuir waves) were detected by the plasma wave instrument in the 1.78-kHz channel on January 23-24, 1986, prior to the inbound bow shock crossing. Langmuir waves are excited by energetic electrons streaming away from the bow shock. The goal of this work is to estimate the location and motion of Uranus' bow shock using Langmuir wave data, together with the spacecraft positions and the measured interplanetary magnetic field. The following three remote sensing analyses were performed: the basic remote sensing method, the lag time method, and the trace-back method. Because the interplanetary magnetic field was highly variable, the first analysis encountered difficulties in obtaining a realistic estimation of Uranus' bow shock motion. In the lag time method developed here, time lags due to the solar wind's finite convection speed are taken into account when calculating the shock's standoff distance. In the new trace-back method, limits on the standoff distance are obtained as a function of time by reconstructing electron paths. Most of the results produced by the latter two analyses are consistent with predictions based on the standard theoretical model and the measured solar wind plasma parameters. Differences between our calculations and the theoretical model are discussed.
Document ID
19990008041
Acquisition Source
Headquarters
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
External Source(s)
Authors
Xue, S.
(Iowa Univ. Iowa City, IA United States)
Cairns, I. H.
(Iowa Univ. Iowa City, IA United States)
Smith, C. W.
(Delaware Univ. Newark, DE United States)
Gurnett, D. A.
(Iowa Univ. Iowa City, IA United States)
Date Acquired
August 19, 2013
Publication Date
April 1, 1996
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Publisher: American Geophysical Union
Volume: 101
Issue: A4
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Aeronautics (General)
Report/Patent Number
Paper-95JA03849
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGw-3445
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF ATM-90-21985
CONTRACT_GRANT: JPL-959193
CONTRACT_GRANT: JPL-959167
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAGw-2040
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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