SHEDDING NEW LIGHT ON SOLITARY WAVES OBSERVED IN SPACE
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Date
2006-01
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Department
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Citation of Original Publication
Pickett, J.S., et al. "Shedding new light on solitary waves observed in space." Proceedings Cluster and Double Star Symposium – 5th Anniversary of Cluster in Space, Noordwijk, The Netherlands, 19 - 23 September 2005. https://sci.esa.int/documents/34817/36255/1567255608290-3.2_Pickett.pdf.
Rights
This work was written as part of one of the author's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.
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Abstract
Electrostatic solitary waves are routinely observed by
the Cluster Wideband (WBD) plasma wave receiver as
the Cluster spacecraft cross boundary layers and regions
of turbulence. These solitary waves are observed in the
electric field waveform data as isolated pulses of
various shapes, but primarily in the bipolar and tripolar
forms. The amplitudes of the solitary waves appear to
follow a somewhat general trend of increasing
amplitude with increasing background magnetic field
strength. Thus, the largest amplitude solitary waves are
usually found closer to Earth as Cluster crosses
magnetic field lines at about 4.5-6.5 RE that map to the
auroral acceleration region and the smallest amplitudes
farthest from Earth in the plasmasheet, magnetosheath
and solar wind at 18-19.5 RE. Bow shock crossings are
particularly interesting as there are significant
differences in the number, amplitude and time duration
of solitary wave pulses detected which probably
indicate a dependence on the upstream environment and
configuration of the interplanetary magnetic field.
Continuing closer to earth into the magnetosheath we
find that on the dayside, solitary waves are almost
always present and the characteristics of them do not
change appreciably from the bow shock to the
magnetopause. This suggests that the solitary waves
observed in the magnetosheath are being locally
produced in the magnetosheath through one or more
generation mechanisms. As we explore the properties
of these solitary waves in the various regions, as well as
the methods by which they could be produced, we hope
to determine if and how these solitary waves are
involved in more fundamental macroscale plasma
processes.