Electron velocity distributions near interplanetary shocks

Journal Article · Wed Nov 30 23:00:00 EST 1983 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA088iA12p09949· OSTI ID:5124279

Feldman, W C; Anderson, R C; Bame, S J; Gosling, J T; Zwickl, R D; Smith, E J

Solar wind electron velocity distributions measured across interplanetary shocks using the Los Alamos plasma analyzer on ISEE 3 have been studied to understand electron heating mechanisms for weak and intermediate strength collisionless shocks. This study thus complements earlier studies of electron heating at the earth's bow shock, an example of a highly supercritical collisionless shock. At the weakest interplanetary shocks (downstream to upstream density ratio N(d/u)< or approx. =2 and velocity difference V(d-u)< or approx. =70 km/s), heating perpendicular to the magnetic field B predominants over parallel heating. Such heating may be a consequence of conservation of magnetic moment across the shock. At the stronger interplanetary shocks N(d/u)> or approx. =2 and V(d-u)> or approx. =70 km/s), heating parallel to B is dominant and the downstream velocity distributions are flat-topped similar to what is observed downstream of the earth's bow shock. This similarity suggests that electron heating in all collisionless shocks with N(d/u)> or approx. =2 and V(d-u)> or approx. =70 km/s results in part from an acceleration parallel to B produced by the macroscopic shock electric field, followed by beam driven plasma instabilities.

• Research Organization: Los Alamos National Laboratory
• OSTI ID: 5124279
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 88:A12; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics &amp; Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
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71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
DISTRIBUTION FUNCTIONS
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
FERMIONS
FUNCTIONS
HEATING
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
LEPTONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOPAUSE
PLASMA ACCELERATION
PLASMA HEATING
RADIATIONS
SHOCK WAVES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR ELECTRONS
SOLAR PARTICLES
SOLAR RADIATION
SOLAR WIND
SPACE
STELLAR RADIATION