Abstract
Macroscopic discontinuous structures observed in the solar wind are considered in the framework of magnetic hydrodynamics. The interaction of strong discontinuities is studied based on the solution of the generalized Riemann–Kochin problem. The appearance of discontinuities inside the magnetosheath after the collision of the solar wind shock wave with the bow shock front is taken into account. The propagation of secondary waves appearing in the magnetosheath is considered in the approximation of one-dimensional ideal magnetohydrodynamics. The appearance of a compression wave reflected from the magnetopause is indicated. The wave can nonlinearly break with the formation of a backward shock wave and cause the motion of the bow shock towards the Sun. The interaction between shock waves is considered with the well-known trial calculation method. It is assumed that the velocity of discontinuities in the magnetosheath in the first approximation is constant on the average. All reasonings and calculations correspond to consideration of a flow region with a velocity less than the magnetosonic speed near the Earth–Sun line. It is indicated that the results agree with the data from observations carried out on the WIND and Cluster spacecrafts.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Goncharov, O., Šafránková, J., Nemecek, Z., Interplanetary shock–bow shock interaction: Comparison of a global MHD model and observation, Planet. Space Sci., 2015, vol. 115, pp. 4–11. doi 10.1016/j.pss.2014.12.001
Grib, S.A., On one mechanism for the generation of a reverse solar wind shock in the magnetosheath in front of the Earth’s magnetosphere. Astron. Lett., 2011, vol. 37, no. 12, pp. 888–893. doi 10.1134/106377371112005X
Grib, S.A. and Leora, S.N., The magnetic hole as plasma inhomogeneity in the solar wind and related interplanetary medium perturbations, Geomagn. Aeron. (Engl. Transl.), 2015, vol. 55, no. 2, pp. 158–165.
Grib, S.A., Brunelli, B.E., Dryer, M., and Shen, W.-W., Interaction of interplanetary shock waves with the bow shock–magnetopause system, J. Geophys Res., 1979, vol. 84, no. A10, pp. 5907–5921. doi 10.1029/ JA084iA10p05907
Grib, S.A., Pushkar, E.A., and Leora, S.N., Some sources of plasma inhomogeneities in the solar wind in front of the Earth’s magnetosphere, Geomagn. Aeron. (Engl. Transl.), 2016, vol. 56, no. 7, pp. 892–896.
Hubert, D. and Harvey, C.C., Interplanetary rotational discontinuities: From the solar wind to the magnetosphere through the magnetosheath, Geophys. Res. Lett., 2002, vol. 27, no. 19, pp. 3149–3152.
Karlsson, T., Brenning, N., Nilsson, H., et al., Localized density enhancements in the magnetosheath: Threedimensional morphology and possible importance for impulsive penetration, J. Geophys. Res., 2012, vol. 117, A03227.
Karlsson, T., Kullen, A., Liljeblad, E., et al., On the origin of magnetosheath plasmoids and their relation to magnetosheath jets, J. Geophys. Res., 2015, vol. 120, no. 9, pp. 7390–7403.
Kulikov, K.A. and Sidorenkov, N.S., Planeta Zemlya (The Planet Earth), Moscow: Nauka, 1977 [in Russian].
Pallocchia, G., A sunward propagating fast wave in the magnetosheath observed after the passage of an interplanetary shock, J. Geophys. Res., 2013, vol. 118, no. 1, pp. 331–339. doi 10.1029/2012JA017851
Pallocchia, G., Samsonov, A.A., Bavassano Cattaneo, M.B., Marcucci, M.F., Rème, H., Carr, C.M., and Cao, J., Interplanetary shock transmitted into the Earth’s magnetosheath: Cluster and Double Star observations, Ann. Geophys., 2010, vol. 28, pp. 1141–1156. doi 10.5194/ angeo-28-1141-2010
Pushkar’, E.A., The three-dimensional wave pattern of flow and intensity of waves generated by impingement of a solar wind rotational discontinuity on the Earth’s bow shock, Izv. Mosk. Gos. Ind. Univ., 2010, no. 2, pp. 68–88.
Roberts, O., Li, X., Alexandrova, O., and Li, B., Observation of an MHD vortex in the slow solar wind: Alfvén vortex in the slow solar wind, J. Geophys. Res., 2016, vol. 121, no. 5, pp. 3870–3881. doi 10.1002/2015JA022248
Samsonov, A.A., Sibeck, D.G., and Imber, J., MHD simulation for the interaction of an interplanetary shock with the Earth’s magnetosphere, J. Geophys. Res., 2007, vol. 112, no. A12. doi 10.1029/2007JA012627
Zhuang, C., Russell, C.T., Smith, T.J., and Gosling, J.T., Three-dimensional interaction of interplanetary shock waves with the bow shock and magnetopause: A comparison of theory with ISEE observations. J. Geophys. Res., 1981, vol. 86, no. A7, pp. 5590–5600.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Grib, S.A., Leora, S.N. Features in the Behavior of the Solar Wind behind the Bow Shock Front near the Boundary of the Earth’s Magnetosphere. Geomagn. Aeron. 57, 1073–1076 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016793217080102
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1134/S0016793217080102