Publication Date:
2011-08-16
Description:
Waves in the frequency range 0.5-4. Hz have been studied in the region upstream of the earth's bow shock with data from the flux-gate magnetic field experiment on Imp 6. Such waves are invariably detected adjacent to the shock, persisting upstream for intervals often less than a minute but occasionally of the order of many hours. Analysis of 150 examples of these waves during a 3-month interval indicates that propagation directions generally make angles of between 20 and 40 deg with the field direction. The waves as measured in the spacecraft frame of reference are either left- or right-hand-polarized with respect to the average field direction. The left-handed waves generally have lower frequencies than the right-handed waves, and the left-handed frequencies never exceed 2.5 Hz. The measured sense of polarization is found to depend on the propagation direction (or alternatively, the field direction) relative to the solar wind direction.
Keywords:
GEOPHYSICS
Type:
Journal of Geophysical Research; 79; Apr. 1
Format:
text
