Electrostatic Turbulence and Debye-Scale Structures Associated with Electron Thermalization at Collisionless Shocks
Published 2002 July 11 •
© 2002. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. Printed in U.S.A.
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Citation S. D. Bale et al 2002 ApJ 575 L25DOI 10.1086/342609
S. D. Bale
AFFILIATIONS
Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley, MC 7450, Berkeley, CA 94720
A. Hull
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Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley, MC 7450, Berkeley, CA 94720
D. E. Larson
AFFILIATIONS
Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley, MC 7450, Berkeley, CA 94720
R. P. Lin
AFFILIATIONS
Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley, MC 7450, Berkeley, CA 94720
Also at Department of Physics, University of California at Berkeley, 366 LeConte Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720
L. Muschietti
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Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California at Berkeley, MC 7450, Berkeley, CA 94720
P. J. Kellogg
AFFILIATIONS
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, 116 Church Street, SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
K. Goetz
AFFILIATIONS
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, 116 Church Street, SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
S. J. Monson
AFFILIATIONS
School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Minnesota, 116 Church Street, SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455
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Dates
- Received 2002 May 4
- Accepted 2002 July 1
- Published 2002 July 11
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.