Electrostatic turbulence and Debye-scale structures associated with electron thermalization at collisionless shocks

S. D. Bale; A. Hull; D. E. Larson; R. P. Lin; L. Muschietti; P. J. Kellogg; K. Goetz; S. J. Monson

doi:10.1086/342609

Electrostatic turbulence and Debye-scale structures associated with electron thermalization at collisionless shocks

S. D. Bale, A. Hull, D. E. Larson, R. P. Lin, L. Muschietti, P. J. Kellogg, K. Goetz, S. J. Monson

Physics and Astronomy (Twin Cities)

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Abstract

We analyze measurements of bipolar, Debye-scale electrostatic structures and turbulence measured in the transition region of the Earth's collisionless bow shock. In this region, the solar wind electron population is slowed and heated, and we show that this turbulence correlates well in amplitude with the measured electron temperature change. The observed bipolar structures are highly oblate and longitudinally polarized and may instantaneously carry up to 10% of the plasma energy ψ ≡ eφ/k_bT_e ≈ 0.1 before dissipating. The relationship between ψ and the field-aligned scale size Δ_∥ of the Gaussian potential suggests that the bipolar structures are BGK trapped particle equilibria or electron hole modes. We suggest a generation scenario and a potential role in dissipation.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	L25-L28
Journal	Astrophysical Journal
Volume	575
Issue number	1 II
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1086/342609
State	Published - Aug 10 2002

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Work on the Wind spacecraft is supported at University of California at Berkeley by NASA grants NAG5-2815 and NAG5-7691 to the University of California.

Keywords

Instabilities
Shock waves
Turbulence

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title = "Electrostatic turbulence and Debye-scale structures associated with electron thermalization at collisionless shocks",

abstract = "We analyze measurements of bipolar, Debye-scale electrostatic structures and turbulence measured in the transition region of the Earth's collisionless bow shock. In this region, the solar wind electron population is slowed and heated, and we show that this turbulence correlates well in amplitude with the measured electron temperature change. The observed bipolar structures are highly oblate and longitudinally polarized and may instantaneously carry up to 10% of the plasma energy ψ ≡ eφ/kbTe ≈ 0.1 before dissipating. The relationship between ψ and the field-aligned scale size Δ∥ of the Gaussian potential suggests that the bipolar structures are BGK trapped particle equilibria or electron hole modes. We suggest a generation scenario and a potential role in dissipation.",

keywords = "Instabilities, Shock waves, Turbulence",

author = "Bale, {S. D.} and A. Hull and Larson, {D. E.} and Lin, {R. P.} and L. Muschietti and Kellogg, {P. J.} and K. Goetz and Monson, {S. J.}",

note = "Funding Information: Work on the Wind spacecraft is supported at University of California at Berkeley by NASA grants NAG5-2815 and NAG5-7691 to the University of California.",

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T1 - Electrostatic turbulence and Debye-scale structures associated with electron thermalization at collisionless shocks

AU - Bale, S. D.

AU - Hull, A.

AU - Larson, D. E.

AU - Lin, R. P.

AU - Muschietti, L.

AU - Kellogg, P. J.

AU - Goetz, K.

AU - Monson, S. J.

N1 - Funding Information: Work on the Wind spacecraft is supported at University of California at Berkeley by NASA grants NAG5-2815 and NAG5-7691 to the University of California.

PY - 2002/8/10

Y1 - 2002/8/10

N2 - We analyze measurements of bipolar, Debye-scale electrostatic structures and turbulence measured in the transition region of the Earth's collisionless bow shock. In this region, the solar wind electron population is slowed and heated, and we show that this turbulence correlates well in amplitude with the measured electron temperature change. The observed bipolar structures are highly oblate and longitudinally polarized and may instantaneously carry up to 10% of the plasma energy ψ ≡ eφ/kbTe ≈ 0.1 before dissipating. The relationship between ψ and the field-aligned scale size Δ∥ of the Gaussian potential suggests that the bipolar structures are BGK trapped particle equilibria or electron hole modes. We suggest a generation scenario and a potential role in dissipation.

AB - We analyze measurements of bipolar, Debye-scale electrostatic structures and turbulence measured in the transition region of the Earth's collisionless bow shock. In this region, the solar wind electron population is slowed and heated, and we show that this turbulence correlates well in amplitude with the measured electron temperature change. The observed bipolar structures are highly oblate and longitudinally polarized and may instantaneously carry up to 10% of the plasma energy ψ ≡ eφ/kbTe ≈ 0.1 before dissipating. The relationship between ψ and the field-aligned scale size Δ∥ of the Gaussian potential suggests that the bipolar structures are BGK trapped particle equilibria or electron hole modes. We suggest a generation scenario and a potential role in dissipation.

KW - Instabilities

KW - Shock waves

KW - Turbulence

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U2 - 10.1086/342609

DO - 10.1086/342609

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SN - 0004-637X

VL - 575

SP - L25-L28

JO - Astrophysical Journal

JF - Astrophysical Journal

IS - 1 II

ER -

Electrostatic turbulence and Debye-scale structures associated with electron thermalization at collisionless shocks

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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