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Plasma Double Layers at the Boundary Between Venus and the Solar Wind
Author(s) -
Malaspina D. M.,
Goodrich K.,
Livi R.,
Halekas J.,
McManus M.,
Curry S.,
Bale S. D.,
Bonnell J. W.,
Wit T. Dudok,
Goetz K.,
Harvey P. R.,
MacDowall R. J.,
Pulupa M.,
Case A. W.,
Kasper J. C.,
Korreck K. E.,
Larson D.,
Stevens M. L.,
Whittlesey P.
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2020gl090115
Subject(s) - magnetosheath , bow shock (aerodynamics) , magnetosphere , plasma , physics , solar wind , venus , plasma sheet , geophysics , atmospheric sciences , computational physics , magnetopause , kinetic energy , electric field , shock wave , astrobiology , mechanics , classical mechanics , quantum mechanics
The solar wind is slowed, deflected, and heated as it encounters Venus's induced magnetosphere. The importance of kinetic plasma processes to these interactions has not been examined in detail, due to a lack of constraining observations. In this study, kinetic‐scale electric field structures are identified in the Venusian magnetosheath, including plasma double layers. The double layers may be driven by currents or mixing of inhomogeneous plasmas near the edge of the magnetosheath. Estimated double‐layer spatial scales are consistent with those reported at Earth. Estimated potential drops are similar to electron temperature gradients across the bow shock. Many double layers are found in few high cadence data captures, suggesting that their amplitudes are high relative to other magnetosheath plasma waves. These are the first direct observations of plasma double layers beyond near‐Earth space, supporting the idea that kinetic plasma processes are active in many space plasma environments.