Drivers of Magnetic Field Amplification at Oblique Shocks: In Situ Observations

Abstract

Collisionless shocks are ubiquitous structures throughout the Universe. Shock waves in space and astrophysical plasmas convert the energy of a fast-flowing plasma to other forms of energy, including thermal and magnetic energies. Plasma turbulence and high-amplitude electric and magnetic fluctuations are necessary for effective energy conversion and particle acceleration. We survey and characterize in situ observations of reflected ions and magnetic field amplification rates at quasiperpendicular shocks under a wide range of upstream conditions. We report magnetic amplification rates as high as 25 in our current data set. Reflected ions interacting with the incoming plasma create magnetic perturbations that cause magnetic amplification in upstream and downstream regions of quasiperpendicular shocks. Our observations show that, in general, magnetic amplification increases with the fraction of reflected ions, which itself increases with Mach number. Both parameters plateau once full reflection is reached. Magnetic amplification continuously increases with the inverse of the magnetization parameter of the upstream plasma. We find that the extended foot region upstream of shocks and nonlinear processes within that region are key factors for intense magnetic amplification. Our observations at nonrelativistic shocks provide the first experimental evidence that below a certain magnetization threshold, the magnetic amplification efficiency at quasiperpendicular shocks becomes comparable to that at the quasiparallel shocks.

Keywords

• Solar wind
• Space plasmas
• Shocks