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The adiabatic energy change of plasma electrons and the frame dependence of the cross‐shock potential at collisionless magnetosonic shock waves
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The adiabatic energy change of plasma electrons and the frame dependence of the cross‐shock potential at collisionless magnetosonic shock waves

C. C Goodrich and J. D Scudder
Journal of Geophysical Research: Space Physics, Vol.89(A8), pp.6654-6662
08/01/1984
DOI: 10.1029/JA089iA08p06654

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Abstract

In collisionless magnetosonic shock waves, ions are commonly thought to be decelerated by a dc electrostatic cross‐shock electric field along the shock normal , where γ is the effective polytrope index for electrons. By observation this ratio is ∼1/10 at the earth’s bow shock. When viewed in the de Hoffman‐Teller frame, corresponding changes in the ion kinematics occur. Since the e[ϕ*HT] is an order of magnitude smaller than the ion energy, the ions are not significantly affected by the electrostatic force. They are instead primarily retarded in this frame by the magnetic force. Since this latter force is proportional to the component of B out of the coplanarity plane, infinitesimally thin shock models may not be realistic for the study of the ion and electron dynamics in the de Hoffman‐Teller frame.

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