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Upstream ULF waves and energetic electrons associated with the lunar wake: Detection of precursor activity
Author(s) -
Farrell W. M.,
Fitzenreiter R. J.,
Owen C. J.,
Byrnes J. B.,
Lepping R. P.,
Ogilvie K. W.,
Neubauer F.
Publication year - 1996
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 - 10.1029/96gl01355
Subject(s) - wake , physics , upstream (networking) , solar wind , geophysics , electron , spacecraft , field line , computational physics , plasma , astronomy , mechanics , nuclear physics , computer network , computer science
We present observations of precursor ULF wave activity and energetic electron flows detected by the WIND spacecraft just prior to entry of the lunar wake on 27 December 1994. This activity occurs upstream of the wake on field lines directly connected to the wake penumbra region. The activity ceases near the penumbra entrance. The observations of upstream ULF wave activity and solar wind counterstreaming electron flows is similar to observations made upstream of collisionless bow shocks. Analogously, the wake precursor region is characterized by thermalization and information propagation ahead of the wake structure.