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Steepening of nonlinear waves in the solar wind

1973; American Geophysical Union; Volume: 78; Issue: 25 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1029/ja078i025p05411

2156-2202

Jih Kwin Chao,

Astro and Planetary Science

Two shocklike structures (i.e., abrupt steplike increases in number density, bulk speed, and proton temperature) were found in the data from Mariner 5 at 0.98 AU on June 26 and at 0.85 AU on August 29, 1967. The thickness of these ‘structures’ determined from the magnetic field data was more than 1,000 proton Larmor radii. They were also observed by Explorer 33, 34, and 35 at 1 AU, where the thicknesses were much smaller than in the Mariner 5 data. It is suggested that these two structures were nonlinear magnetoacoustic waves that were in the processes of steepening. It is further suggested that shocks would be formed just beyond 1 AU. These structures were not associated with corotating streams, but they could be associated with impressive solar events in which a flare was followed by type 2 and type 4 radio emission and a rare chromospheric wave.