Plasma waves in the Earth's foreshock, bow shock, and magnetosheath

Thesis/Dissertation · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1988

OSTI ID:6514385

Onsager, T G

The research presented in this dissertation is a detailed analysis of electrostatic waves in the Earth's foreshock, bow shock, and magnetosheath. The wave modes measured in these regions, the possible generation mechanisms, and the process which drive the plasma to its unstable state are investigated. The measurements used in this study were obtained from the plasma wave receiver, the particle instrument, and the magnetometer on board the Active Magnetospheric Particle Tracer Explorer (AMPTE) Ion Release Module (IRM). Electron beam mode waves have been identified in the Earth's foreshock. A technique is developed which allows the rest frame frequency and wave number of the electron beam mode waves to be determined from the measurements. The experimentally determined values are compared with theoretical predictions, and approximate limits are put on the beam temperatures. It is demonstrated that electrostatic waves are present in the bow shock and magnetosheath with frequencies above the maximum frequency for Doppler shifted ion acoustic waves, yet below the Langmuir frequency. Waves in this frequency range are tentatively identified as electron beam mode waves. This identification is based on the measured frequencies and electric field polarization directions. Data from 45 bow shock crossings are then used to investigate possible correlations between the electron beam mode waves and the near shock plasma parameters. The best correlations are found with Alfven Mach number and electron beta. Possible mechanism which might produce electron beams in the shock and magnetosheath are discussed in terms of the correlation study results.

• Research Organization: Washington Univ., Seattle, WA (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6514385
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640201* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magetospheric Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
BEAMS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
EARTH MAGNETOSPHERE
EARTH PLANET
ELECTRON BEAMS
LEPTON BEAMS
MAGNETOSHEATH
PARTICLE BEAMS
PLANETS
PLASMA WAVES
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND