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Electron heating and the potential jump across fast mode shocksTwo different methods were applied to determine the cross-shock potential jump in the de Hoffmann-Teller reference frame, using a data set that represented 66 crossings of the terrestrial bow shock and 14 interplanetary shocks observed by various ISEE spacecraft, and one crossing each of the Jovian bow shock and the Uranian bow shock made by the Voyager spacecraft. Results for estimates of the electrostatic potential based on an estimate of the jump in electron enthalpy correlated well with estimates based on Liouville's theorem, although the Liouville-determined values were systematically the higher of the two, suggesting that significant irreversible processes contribute to the shape of the downstream distribution. The potential jump corresponds to approximately 12-15 percent of the incident ion ram kinetic energy, and was found not to be controlled by the Mach number, plasma beta, shock geometry, or electron to ion temperature ratios.
Document ID
19890030002
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Schwartz, Steven J.
(Queen Mary College London, United Kingdom)
Thomsen, Michelle F.
(London Univ. United Kingdom)
Bame, S. J.
(London Univ. United Kingdom)
Stansberry, John
(Los Alamos National Laboratory NM, United States)
Date Acquired
August 14, 2013
Publication Date
November 1, 1988
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 93
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Lunar And Planetary Exploration
Accession Number
89A17373
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NASA ORDER S-04039-D
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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