An Introduction to the Physics of Collisionless Shocks

Journal Article · Mon Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2005 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2032667· OSTI ID:20719197

Russell, C T ^[1]

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1. Institute of Geophysics and Planetary Physics, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095-1567 (United States)

Collisionless shocks are important in astrophysical, heliospheric and magnetospheric settings. They deflect flows around obstacles; they heat the plasma, and they alter the properties of the flow as it intersects those obstacles. The physical processes occurring at collisionless shocks depend on the Mach number (strength) and beta (magnetic to thermal pressure) of the shocks and the direction of the magnetic field relative to the shock normal. Herein we review how the shock has been modeled in numerical simulations, the basic physical processes at work, including dissipation and thermalization, the electric potential drop at the shock, and the formation of the electron and ion foreshocks.

• OSTI ID: 20719197
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Vol. 781, Issue 1; Conference: 4. annual IGPP international astrophysics conference, Palm Springs, CA (United States), 26 Feb - 3 Mar 2005; Other Information: DOI: 10.1063/1.2032667; (c) 2005 American Institute of Physics; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0094-243X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
ASTRONOMY
ELECTRIC POTENTIAL
ELECTRONS
FORESHOCKS
HELIOSPHERE
IONS
MACH NUMBER
MAGNETIC FIELDS
PLASMA
PLASMA HEATING
PLASMA SIMULATION
SHOCK WAVES
SOLAR WIND
STELLAR MAGNETOSPHERES
THERMALIZATION