Observations of solar wind plasma changes across the bow shock

摘要: The Vela 3 satellites are in nearly circular orbits tilted at 60° to the ecliptic plane geocentric distances of approximately 18.5 RE (earth radii). Thus solar wind plasma can be sampled on both sides ‘bow shock,’ dawn and dusk earth-sun line, positions far above below it. An analysis 13 crossings bow shock during July August 1965, selected magnetosphere with widely variable latitudes show bulk velocity fall by ∼30% as magnetosheath is entered. density jumps a factor 2–5 typically, proton ‘temperature’ ∼20. Multiple front common, each crossing easily recognized distinctly different characteristics plasma. For this time period typical average values temperature near were 275 km/sec 106°K. larger than mean thermal velocity, showing that most energy associated ordered flow around magnetosphere.