A forward-reverse shock pair in the solar wind driven by over-expansion of a coronal mass ejection: Ulysses observations

Journal Article · Tue Feb 01 04:00:00 EST 1994 · Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/94GL00001· OSTI ID:7296334

Gosling, J T; Bame, S J; McComas, D J; Phillips, J L; Scime, E E ^[1]; Pizzo, V J ^[2]; Goldstein, B E ^[3]; Balogh, A ^[4]

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1. Los Alamos National Laboratory, NM (United States)
2. San Juan Institute, San Juan Capistrano, CA (United States)
3. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, (Canada)
4. Imperial College, London (United Kingdom)

A previously unidentified type of solar wind forward-reverse shock pair has been observed by Ulysses at 4.64 AU and S32.5[degrees]. In contrast to most solar wind forward-reverse shock pairs, which are driven by the speed difference between fast solar wind plasma and slower plasma ahead, this particular shock pair was driven purely by the over-expansion of a coronal mass ejection, CME, in transit from the Sun. A simple numerical simulation indicates that the over-expansion was a result of a high initial internal plasma and magnetic field pressure within the CME. The CME observed at 4.64 AU had the internal field structure of a magnetic flux rope. This event was associated with a solar disturbance in which new magnetic loops formed in the corona almost directly beneath Ulysses [approximately]11 days earlier. This association suggests that the flux rope was created as a result of reconnection between the the legs' of neighboring magnetic loops within the rising CME.

• OSTI ID: 7296334
• Journal Information: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States), Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters (American Geophysical Union); (United States) Vol. 21:3; ISSN GPRLAJ; ISSN 0094-8276
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

661320* -- Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena-- (1992-)
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
MAGNETIC FLUX
SHOCK WAVES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE
SOLAR CORONA
SOLAR WIND
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR CORONAE