Subcritical dispersive shock waves upstream of planetary bow shocks and at comet Giacobini-Zinner

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1988 · Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/GL015i011p01303· OSTI ID:7088416

Omidi, N; Winske, D

Electromagnetic simulations are used to investigate the nonlinear evolution of ULF (magnetosonic) waves. These waves have been observed upstream of planetary bow shocks and at Comet Giacobini-Zinner. The simulations show that these waves steepen to form subcritical dispersive shock waves. The steepening process is due to the generation of a broad spectrum of waves on the magnetosonic-whistler branch. As a result, the waveform spreads in space and the original elliptical polarization of the wave changes to linear. Also, the fastest propagating waves overtake the steepened front and form a circularly polarized precursor. Interpretation of the steepened waves as shocks suggest that Comet Giacobini-Zinner did not have a single bow shock but instead a transition region consisting of a series of shocks which were convected by the solar wind. copyright American Geophysical Union 1988

• Research Organization: Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, Univeristy of California at Los Angeles
• OSTI ID: 7088416
• Journal Information: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States), Journal Name: Geophys. Res. Lett.; (United States) Vol. 15:11; ISSN GPRLA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
COMETS
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
MAGNETOACOUSTIC WAVES
POLARIZATION
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
WAVE FORMS