Abstract
A strong spatial association between bipolar electrostatic solitary waves (ESWs) and magnetic current sheets (CSs) in the solar wind is reported here for the first time. This association requires that the plasma instabilities (e.g., Buneman, electron two stream) which generate ESWs are preferentially localized to solar wind CSs. Distributions of CS properties (including shear angle, thickness, solar wind speed, and vector magnetic field change) are examined for differences between CSs associated with ESWs and randomly chosen CSs. Possible mechanisms for producing ESW-generating instabilities at solar wind CSs are considered, including magnetic reconnection.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 591-599 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics |
Volume | 118 |
Issue number | 2 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Feb 2013 |
Keywords
- electrostatic waves
- magnetic discontinuities
- plasma instabilities
- solar wind
- solitary waves