Comparative review of bow shocks and magnetopauses

Technical Report · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1984

OSTI ID:6383685

Lepping, R P

Bow shock and magnetopauses formation is discussed. Plasma and magnetic field environments of all the planets from Mercury to Saturn were measured. It was found that all the planets have bow shocks and almost all have a magnetopause. Venus is the only planet with no measurable intrinsic magnetic field and the solar wind interacts directly with Venus ionosphere. The bow shock characteristics depend on the changing solar wind conditions. The shape of a magnetopause or any obstacle to flow depends on the three dimensional pressure profile that it presents to the solar wind. Jupiter is unusual because of the considerable amount of plasma which is contained in its magnetosphere. Magentopause boundaries in ecliptic plane projection are modelled by segments of ellipses, matched to straight lines for the magnetotool boundaries or parabolas. Specific properties of known planetary bow shocks and magnetopauses are reviewed.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Greenbelt, MD (USA). Goddard Space Flight Center
• OSTI ID: 6383685
• Report Number(s): N-84-27353; NASA-TM-86114
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640203* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
IONOSPHERE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOPAUSE
MAGNETOSPHERE
PLANETARY ATMOSPHERES
PLANETARY IONOSPHERES
PLANETARY MAGNETOSPHERES
SHOCK WAVES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND