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The Influence of IMF B y on the Bow Shock: Observation Result
Author(s) -
Wang M.,
Lu J. Y.,
Kabin K.,
Yuan H. Z.,
Liu Z.Q.,
Zhao J. S.,
Li G.
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1002/2017ja024750
Subject(s) - bow shock (aerodynamics) , magnetopause , physics , magnetosheath , interplanetary magnetic field , shock (circulatory) , solar wind , geophysics , astrophysics , position (finance) , space physics , interplanetary spaceflight , perpendicular , shock wave , magnetic field , mechanics , geometry , medicine , mathematics , finance , quantum mechanics , economics
In this study we use the bow shock crossings contained in the Space Physics Data Facility database, collected by four spacecraft (IMP 8, Geotail, Magion‐4, and Cluster1) to analyze the effect of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B y component on the bow shock position and shape. Although the IMF B z component is usually considered much more geoeffective than B y , we find that the dayside bow shock is more responsive to the eastward component of the IMF than the north‐south one. We believe that the explanation lies in the changes that the B z component induces on the magnetopause location and shape, which largely compensate the corresponding changes in the dayside bow shock location. In the tail, we find that the bow shock cross section is elongated roughly in the direction perpendicular to the IMF direction, which agrees with earlier modeling studies.