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Escape of heated ions upstream of quasi‐parallel shocks
Author(s) -
Edmiston J. P.,
Kennel C. F.,
Eichler David
Publication year - 1982
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/gl009i005p00531
Subject(s) - ion , upstream (networking) , shock (circulatory) , upstream and downstream (dna) , plasma , physics , shock wave , magnetic field , atomic physics , perpendicular , bow shock (aerodynamics) , mechanics , geometry , nuclear physics , quantum mechanics , medicine , computer network , mathematics , computer science
We investigate the free escape of ions from the post shock plasma into the region upstream of a fast collisionless shock. We find that the accessibility of downstream ions to the upstream region depends strongly on the upstream magnetic field shock normal angle as well as the upstream plasma parameters. Post shock ions escape upstream in significant numbers for shock normal angles below about 45°, in rough accord with the observed transition between quasi‐perpendicular and quasi‐parallel shock structure. We also calculate upstream ion distribution functions that resemble those of the observed “intermediate” ions and ion beams.