Structures of Alfven shocks: S-shaped magnetic hodogram observed at the magnetopause

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA)

OSTI ID:6048101

Kan, J R; Lyu, L H ^[1]

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1. Univ. of Alaska, Fairbanks (USA)

The Alfven shock structure is obtained by a two-fluid simulation code including dissipations due to resistivity, viscosity and heat conductivity. The hodogram of the tangential magnetic field component of the simulated Alfven shock is S-shaped with a 180{degree} angular rotation. This is the first simulation result to show the S-shaped hodogram associated with Alfven shocks. The S-shaped hodograms have been observed at the magnetopause (Berchem and Russell, 1982). On the basis of this result, the authors propose that the magnetopause is an Alfven shock where and when the hodogram is S-shaped and rotates 180{degree}. The upstream portion of the hodogram is always right-hand polarized; the downstream portion is always left-handed. The thickness of the Alfven shock transition layer is about a few ion inertial lengths, which tends to increase with decreasing shock normal angle {theta}{sub bn}. For {theta}{sub bn} = 80{degree}, the thickness is estimated to be about 5 c/{omega}{sub pi}.

• OSTI ID: 6048101
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (USA) Vol. 16:5; ISSN 0094-8276; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALFVEN WAVES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DIMENSIONS
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
MAGNETOPAUSE
MOMENTUM TRANSFER
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA
SHOCK WAVES
SIMULATION
THICKNESS
VISCOSITY