Whistler damping at oblique propagation: Laminar shock precursors

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1985 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA090iA01p00099· OSTI ID:5545615

Gary, S P; Mellott, M M

This 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../sub 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.

• Research Organization: Earth and Space Sciences Division, University of California, Los Alamos National Laboratory, New Mexico
• OSTI ID: 5545615
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Vol. 90:A1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
MAGNETOSHEATH
WHISTLERS
ATTENUATION
COLLISIONLESS PLASMA
LANDAU DAMPING
SHOCK WAVES
WAVE PROPAGATION
DAMPING
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
NOISE
PLASMA
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
640203* - Atmospheric Physics- Magnetospheric Phenomena- (-1987)
640420 - Fluid Physics- Properties & Structure of Fluids- (-1987)