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Multispacecraft observations of energetic ions upstream and downstream of the bow shock
Author(s) -
Scholer M.,
Möbius E.,
Kistler L. M.,
Klecker B.,
Ipavich F. M.
Publication year - 1989
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/gl016i006p00571
Subject(s) - magnetosheath , magnetopause , bow shock (aerodynamics) , physics , solar wind , magnetosphere , geophysics , shock (circulatory) , shock wave , computational physics , intensity (physics) , plasma , mechanics , optics , medicine , quantum mechanics
We present simultaneous measurements of energetic protons and alpha particles inside and outside of the magnetopause, immediately upstream, and downstream as well as further upstream of the bow shock. A comparison between the intensity at the bow shock and further upstream results in an e‐folding distance at 30 keV of ∼ 6.2 R E . After transformation of the angular distribution into the solar wind frame a diffusion coefficient of κ ∥ ∼ 3 R E is obtained from the anisotropy and the intensity gradient. Immediately downstream of the bow shock the anisotropy in the shock frame is directed toward the magnetopause. After transformation into the plasma rest frame the distribution is isotropic. The intensity in the magnetosheath just outside the magnetopause is smaller than the intensity behind the bow shock. Thus, in the magnetosheath there is no gradient or streaming in the upstream direction. The spectra, intensities, and relative abundances in the magnetosheath and inside the magnetosphere are totally different. These observations are consistent with first order Fermi acceleration at the bow shock and subsequent downstream convection, and exclude a magnetospheric source for these particles.