Bow shock and magnetosheath waves at mercury

Journal Article · Sun Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA081i022p03897· OSTI ID:7147700

Fairfield, D H; Behannon, K W

Mariner 10 measuremnets at the Mercury bow shock provide examples where the magnetic field is approximately parallel or perpendicular to the bow shock normal. Upstream of a broad irregular parallel shock, left-hand circularly polarized waves are observed which cut off very sharply at approx.4 Hz. Upstream of a perpendicular shock, right-hand circularly polarized waves are observed which persist up to the Nyquist frequency of 12 Hz. Determination of the wave vector as a function of frequency helps to identify conclusively the waves as whistler mode waves propagating from the shock. The magnetosheath downstream of the parallel shock is disturbed more than that downstream of the perpendicular shock, particularly below 1 Hz. In the latter case, regular left-hand-polarized waves observed slightly above the proton gyrofrequency are identified as ion cyclotron waves with wavelengths of approx.300 km which have been Doppler shifted up to their observed frequency. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Laboratory for Extraterrestrial Physics, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771
• OSTI ID: 7147700
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 81:22; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640107* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Planetary Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOSHEATH
MARINER SPACE PROBES
MERCURY PLANET
NOISE
PLANETS
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SHOCK WAVES
SPACE VEHICLES
WHISTLERS