Magnetosheath electrostatic turbulence

Technical Report · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1977

OSTI ID:7290773

Rodriquez, P

The spectrum of electrostatic plasma waves in the terrestrial magnetosheath was studied using the plasma wave experiment on the IMP-6 satellite. Electrostatic plasma wave turbulence is almost continuously present throughout the magnetosheath with broadband (20 Hz- 70 kHz) r.m.s. field intensities typically 0.01 - 1.0 millivolts/m. Peak intensities of about 1.0 millivolts/m near the electron plasma frequency (30 - 60 kHz) were detected occasionally. The components usually identified in the spectrum of magnetosheath electrostatic turbulence include a high-frequency (> or = 30 kHz) component peaking at the electron plasma frequency f/sub pe/, a low-frequency component with a broad intensity maximum below the nominal ion plasma frequency f/sub pi/ (approximately f/sub pe//43), and a less-well-defined intermediate component in the range between f/sub pi/ and f/sub pe/. The intensity distribution of magnetosheath electrostatic turbulence clearly shows that the low-frequency component is associated with the bow shock; this finding suggests that the ion heating begun at the shock continues into the downstream magnetosheath.

• Research Organization: National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Greenbelt, Md. (USA). Goddard Space Flight Center
• OSTI ID: 7290773
• Report Number(s): N-77-24687; NASA-TM-X-71314; X-695-77-30
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640203* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (-1987)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
DIGITAL FREQUENCY ANALYSIS
ELECTRIC FIELDS
FREQUENCY RANGE
HEATING
HZ RANGE
KHZ RANGE
KHZ RANGE 01-100
MAGNETOSHEATH
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA WAVES
TURBULENCE