Foward-reverse shock pairs associated with coronal mass ejections

Journal Article · Wed Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA093iA06p05897· OSTI ID:6839812

Whang, Y C

For some coronal mass ejections (CMEs), their interaction with the ambient solar wind can produce a forward-reverse shock pair. The high-speed mass ejecta compresses the plasma near the top of the CME on both sides of the tangential discontinuity which separates the CME plasma from the ambient solar wind plasma. The front of the compressed CME plasma propagates in the reverse direction relative to the ejecta flow, it may steepen to form a reverse slow shock. The front of the compressed solar wind plasma also propagates in the foward direction relative to the ambient solar wind and it may steepen to form a forward shock. The forward-reverse shock pair associated with CMEs moves outward in interplanetary space and evolves into a pair of fast shocks. The interplanetary manifestation of some CMEs is pictured as a magnetic cloud accompanied by a shock pair: a forward shock precedes the cloud and a reverse shock either within or behind the cloud. copyright American Geophysical Union 1988

• Research Organization: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C.
• OSTI ID: 6839812
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 93:A6; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
PLASMA WAVES
SHOCK WAVES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR CORONA
SOLAR WIND
SPACE
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR CORONAE
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
WAVE PROPAGATION