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Evolution of High‐Speed Jets and Plasmoids Downstream of the Quasi‐Perpendicular Bow Shock
Author(s) -
Goncharov O.,
Gunell H.,
Hamrin M.,
Chong S.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: space physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2169-9402
pISSN - 2169-9380
DOI - 10.1029/2019ja027667
Subject(s) - magnetosheath , bow shock (aerodynamics) , magnetopause , plasmoid , physics , bow wave , shock (circulatory) , perpendicular , solar wind , mechanics , shock wave , geophysics , plasma , computational physics , geometry , magnetic reconnection , mathematics , quantum mechanics , medicine
Abstract Plasma structures with enhanced dynamic pressure, density, or speed are often observed in Earth's magnetosheath. We present a statistical study of these structures, known as jets and fast plasmoids, in the magnetosheath, downstream of both the quasi‐perpendicular and quasi‐parallel bow shocks. Using measurements from the four Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) spacecraft and OMNI solar wind data from 2015–2017, we present observations of jets during different upstream conditions and in the wide range of distances from the bow shock. Jets observed downstream of the quasi‐parallel bow shock are seen to propagate deeper and faster into the magnetosheath and on toward the magnetopause. We estimate the shape of the structures by treating the leading edge as a shock surface, and the result is that the jets are elongated in the direction of propagation but also that they expand more quickly in the perpendicular direction as they propagate through the magnetosheath.