Plasma fluid parameters calculated from solar wind and magnetic field data obtained on ISEE 3 were studied. The characteristic properties of driver gas following interplanetary shocks was determined. Of 54 shocks observed from August 1978 to February 1980, nine contained a well defined driver gas that was clearly identifiable by a discontinuous decrease in the average proton temperature across a tangential discontinuity. While helium enhancements were present in all of nine of these events, only about half of them contained simultaneous changes in the two quantities. Often the He/H ratio changed over a period of minutes. Simultaneous with the drop in proton temperature the helium and electron temperature decreased abruptly. In some cases the proton temperature depression was accompanied by a moderate increase in magnetic field magnitude with an unusually low variance and by an increase in the ratio of parallel to perpendicular temperature. The drive gas usually displayed a bidirectional flow of suprathermal solar wind electrons at higher energies

Ashbridge, J. R.

Bame, S. J.

Feldman, W. C.

Gosling, J. T.

Smith, E. J.

Zwickl, R. D.

English

Plasma fluid parameters calculated from solar wind and magnetic field data obtained on ISEE 3 were studied to determine the characteristic properties of driver gas following interplanetary shocks. Of 54 shocks observed from August 1978 to February 1980, 9 contained a well defined driver gas that was clearly identifiable by a discontinuous decrease in the average proton temperature across a tangential discontinuity. While helium enhancements were present in all of 9 of these events, only about half of them contained simultaneous changes in the two quantities. Often the He/H ratio changed over a period of minutes. Simultaneous with the drop in proton temperature the helium and electron temperature decreased abruptly. In some cases the proton temperature depression was accompanied by a moderate increase in magnetic field magnitude with an unusually low variance and by an increase in the ratio of parallel to perpendicular temperature. The drive gas usually displayed a bi-directional flow of suprathermal solar wind electrons at higher energies (>137 eV)

Asbridge, J. R.

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Plasma properties of driver gas following interplanetary shocks observed by ISEE-3

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TITLE: 
AUTHOR(S): 
SUBMITTED TO: 
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DE83 007547 
PLASMA PROPERTIES OF DRIVER GAS FOLLOWING INTERPLANETARY 
SHOCKS OBSERVED BY ISE~-3 
R.D. Zwickl, J.R. Asbridge, S.J. Barne. W.C. Feldman. 
J.T. Gosling and E.J. Smith 
Solar Wind 5 Conference proceedings which was held 
November 1-5. 1982 in Woodstock. Vermont 
DISCLAIMER 
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and opinions of autbors expressed herein do not necessarilv state or reflect those of tbe 
United States Government or any agency tbereof. 
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By l'Icceplance 01 IhlS .rhcle, Ihe publisher recDg",zes Ihallhe U,S, Gove,nmenl 'ellins I nonexclusive. 'OYllly-f, .. license 10 publish or reproduce 
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The Los Alamos Nallonal Laboralory reQueSIS ltoal Ihe publistoer Idenlify Ihil a,llcle IS wo,k performed under ttoe auspices of thl U,S. Dep.rtmenl of Energy, 
. 
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Los Alamos National Laboratory 
Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 
" 
Plasma Properties of Driver Gas !')llow1ng 1nterplanetal'Y. 
Shocks Observed by 1518-3 
R. D. Zwickl, J. R. Asbridge, s. J. Bame, W. C. Feldman, J. T. Gosling 
Los Alamos National Laboratory 
Los AllLacS, New t~x1co 87544 
and 
I. J. Smith 
Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, CA 91103 
I , 
-
. ' 
-2-
Abstr.ct 
Pl.... fluid para .. ters calculated fro. .ol.r wind and .. gnetic field data 
obtained on IS!! 3 were studied to determine the characteri.tic properties ~f 
driver gaa following interplanetary shocks. Of S4 shocks observed from Augu.t 
197a to February 1980, 9 contained a well defined driver gas that was clearly 
identifiable by a discontinuous decrease in the average proton teaperature 
across a tangential discontinuity. While helium enhance .. nts were present in 
all 9 of these events, only about half of them contained simultaneous changes 
in the two quantities. Often the HeIH ratio changed over a period ~f minutes. 
Simultaneous with the drop in proton 
temperature decreased abruptly. 
temperature 
In so.. cases 
the helium and electron 
the proton temperature 
depression was accompanied by a moderate increase in magnetic field magnitude 
with an unusually low variance and by an increase in the ratio of parallel to 
perpendicular temperature. The driver gas usually displayed a bi-directional 
flow of suprathermal solar wind electrons at higher energies (>137 eV). 
t 
! 
-3-
1. Introduction 
Interplanetary shocks have been observed throughout that part of the 
heliosphere sampled by space probes during the last decade. These shocks were 
generally formed either by high speed streams which steepen with increasing 
radial distance into forward-reverse shock pairs at their leading edges 
[Hundhausen and Gosling, 1976; Smith and Wolf, 1976], or by transient events at 
the sun which expel coronal material to drive forward shocks [Hundhausen, 
1972]. Shocks produced by transient events in the corona will also fora 
forward-reverse shock pairs but usually outside of I.AU. The characteristics 
of the plasma during this latter type shock have been studied extensively. The 
"driver gas" for these shocks is usually identified by one or sore of the 
following anomalous solar wind conditions: He abundance enhancements [Hirshberg 
et al., 1972; Borrini et al., 1982), proton temperature depres~ions [Gosling et 
al., 1973], electron temperature depression [Montgomery et al., 1974], high 
magnetic field strength [Hirshberg and Colburn, 1969; Schatten and Schatten, 
1972] with low variance [Pudovkin et al., 1979], unusual heavy ion ionization 
states [Bame et ale 1979; Fenimore 1980; Schwenn et al., 1980; Gosling et al., 
1980; Zwickl et al., 1982], and bidirectional streaming of solar wind electrons 
[Montgomery et al., 1974; Temmy and Vaisberg, 1979 Bame et al., 1981] and 
energetic protons [Palmer et al., 1978; Kutchko et al., 1982]. 
The most commonly used characteristics in determining the presence of 
driver gas behind interplanetary shocks are He aoundance enhancements and 
proton temperature depressions. However, these plasma signatures are observed 
after less than half of all shocks [Schwenn et al. 1980; Borrini et al •• 
1982], and when present can show a very complex pattern [Ogilvie and Burlag., 
1974; Bame et al., ~979]. 
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--
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Pla... fluid paraaeterl calculated from .olar wind data together with 
magnetic field data obtained with instrumentation on ISE! 3 have been stud1ed 
to determine the characteristic properties of driver gas following 
interplanetary shocks. Of 54 shocks observed from August 1978 to February 
1980, 9 contained well defined driver gas that was clearly identifiable by a 
discontinuous decrease in the average proton temperature. This decrease is 
often accompanied by an abrupt change in the magnetic field and other plasma 
parameters which taken together imply the pr~sence of a tangential 
discontinuity at the interface between the shocked plasma and driver gas. In 
this paper the plasfta properties of the driver gas from the 9 events are 
examilled with a view toward characterizing the complexity of the most well 
defined events. 
2. Characteristic Properties of Driver Gas 
The subset of 9 events in this study were selected on the basis of a 
discontinuous decrease in proton temperature. Constraints were ~ot placed on 
any other property of driver gas. Characteristic properties of driver gas 
identified for these 9 events lLa shown in Table 1. The first three properties 
are those most often used to identify the presence of driver gas. Helium 
abtndance increases and Te decreases are present in all but one case, 
indicating both properties are co~mmonly present in driver gas. Bi-directional 
streaming of plasma electrons is often but not always seen (Table 1). The thin 
proton density enhancement, located near the discontinuity separating the 
shocked plasma from the driver, is the least reliable indicator of driver gas 
and is probably not a general feature. The next three quantities in Table 1 
have not been discussed previously and all three (a bulk speed increase, a 
decrease in the RMS deviation of V,and an increase in the parallel to 
, 
j 
-5-
perpendicular proton temperature ratio) are usually present. The last two 
quantities in the table indicate the nature of the magnetic field magnitude 
(increase) at the interfa~e between the shocked and unshocked plasma and RMS 
deviation ,aB, decrease within the main phase of the driver gas. A decrease in 
aB is hard to determine in cases where large ~ariations in B are taking place. 
3. Temporal variability of driver gas 
The time history of several solar wind paraaet.rs together with ~he 
strength of the interplanetary ~gnetic field are shown in Figure 1 for the 
shock occurring on 21 February 1979. The dashed line (-1515 UT) indicates the 
onset of the discontinuous drop in proton temperature and marks the location of 
t~e tangential discontinuity. Simultaneous with this drop in proton 
temperature, the proton density incre~ses, the HelH ratio inc~eases, and the 
electron temperature decreases (not shown). While the magnetic field magnitude 
increases at this time, it is difficult to determin~ if this increase is due to 
the presence of the driver gas or is just another of the many variations in the 
field. 
The plasma flow after for the 21 February shock is a near classical 
example of what the solar wind parameters (Tp ' Te , He/H) should look like in 
the ideal case: all parameters change simultanously at the onset of ·the driver 
gas. However, such events are rare, only 3 of the 9 events show similar 
characteristics. 
In general the HelH abundance I.'atio enhancement can occur at any time 
after the onset of the discontinuous drop in temperatu~e. The most interesting 
example of the HelH abundance variation is found in the 2~ Karch 1979 event 
shown' in Figure 2. Here, the ReIH abundance is enhanced before, depressed 
during, and enhanced after the low temperatlJre region. Several othe.r 
-6-
intereating featurea are also present in Figure 2. The _gnitucle of the 
aagnetic field increases simultaneous with the decrease in proton temperature 
and remains high with a reduced RMS deviation throughout the low temperature 
region. During the same time interval the ratio of the parallel to 
perpendicular proton temperature increased to relatively high levels. Part of 
the increase is due to the difficulty of making accurate measurement of the two 
components at low temperature. 
4. Discussion 
Many of the parameters shown in Table 1 and Figures 1 and 2 have been 
examined previously. The most often studied parameter, the H\.·/H ratio, has 
long been held to be the best indicator of the presence of driver gas behind a 
shock [Hirshberg et al., 1972]. The present study indicates that not only can 
HelH increases [Bame et al., 1979) occur anywhere with respect to the 
boundaries of the low temperature regiolls, they usually have rise and decay 
times on the order of minutes. Such would not te the case if the HelH 
increases were a necessary and sufficient identifier of driver gas. In the 
case of the HelH increase occurring prior to the Tp _ecrease in the 22 March 
1979 event shown in Figure 2, we believe the enhanced He plasma was ejected 
from the corona ahead of the discontinuity, and as such is simply an extended 
signature of the transient disturbance which later produced the shock. 
This study confirms and extends recent work concerning the nature of the 
magnetic field during the passage of driver gas. Borrini et al. (1982), in a 
statistical survey of 103 forward shocks, showed that, on the average, driver 
gas containing enhanced HelH ratios also exhibited increased magnetic field 
strength. Slightly eariier Pudovkin et al. (1979) had indicated that the RMS 
deviation of the magnetic field often decreases during the passage of driver 
I 
f 
i 
~. 
I 
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gas. These two characteristics are clearly seen in the 22 March 1979 event 
shown in Figure 2 and their frequency of occurrence in clearly identified 
drivers can be determined from the data in Table 1. 
The signature of the magnetic field parameters in driver ga. suggesu a 
similar examination be made of the bulk flow velocity and its RMS deviation. 
These parameters, shown in Table I, indicate that while the solar wind bulk 
velocity often. increases at the onset of the drivel gas, the RMS deviation, 
averaged over a 10 minute interval, usually decreases. Thus, the plasma data 
and the magnetic field data indicate that cold driYer gas contains very low 
levels of low frequency wave activity. 
A schematic model illustrating a possible geometry for plasma driving an 
interplanetary shock is shown in Figure 3 (based on Figure 10 from Bame et al., 
1979). Many of the characteristic properties of driver gas listed in Table 1 
are illustrated in the figure. Of particular note in Figure 3 is the uneven 
distribution of helium enriched plasma and the smooth closed ~gnetic field 
lines. The geometry of our model differs considerably from that presented by 
iudovkin et ale (1979). Our model suggests that it is possible to observe the 
shock without detecting driver gas, and when driver gas is observed the 'He 
enhancement may oc~ur early or late or the He enhancement may occur in several 
distinct regions. These characteristics, which are observed in the data, are 
not shown in their model [Pudovkin et al., 1979]. 
Acknowledgements 
This work was s',pported 1n part by the National Aeronautics and Space 
Administration and was car'ried out under the auspices of the U.S. Department 
of Energy. 
.-~~--------~----------------------~-------------------------
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1? -8-
table 1 
1811-3 
Characteristic Properties of Driver ea. 
Characteristic Nov 12 Dec 14 Feb 21 Mar 9 Mar 22 Apr 1 Apr 5 Apr 24 May 29 
1978 1978 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 1979 
1. 
.Tpdecrease Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
2. He/! increase Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
3. Te decrease Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
4. Bl-dlrectional Y ? Y Y Y Y Y 
streaming 
5. Density spike ? Y Y Y ? Y 
6. V iilcrease Y Y Y Y Y Y 
7. av decrease Y Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
8. T./Tl Y Y Y Y Y Y Y 
9. IBI increase Y ? Y Y Y Y Y Y 
10. aB decrease Y ? Y Y Y Y Y 
Y • yes· ? - uncertain - - not present 
, 
f 
I 
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-9-
leferences 
Bame, S. J., J. I.. Asbr~,dge, w. C. 'eldman, !. !. Fenimore, and J. t. GOIlina, 
Solar wind heavy ~ons from flare-heated coronal pl ..... Sol. Phy~. !!. 
179. 1979. 
BalM. S. J., J. I.. Asbridge, W. C. 'eldman, J. T. GOsling, and I.. D. Zwickl. 
Bi-direction.l stre.ming of solar wind electrons >80 eVi IS!E eV~~dnce for 
a closed-field Itructure within the driver gas of an interplanetary Ihoek, 
Geophys. l.es. Lett., !, 173, 1981. 
Borrini, G., J. T. GOsling, S. J. Bame, and W. C. Feldman, J~ analysis of shock 
wave disturbances observed at 1 AU from 1971 through 1978. 
J. Geophys. les •• ~. 4365, 1982. 
Fenimore, E. E., Solar wind flows associ.ted with hot heavy iODs. 
Astrophys. J., ~. 245, 1980. 
Gosling, J. T., V. Pizzo. and S. J. Bame, Anomalously low proton temperatures 
in the sol.r wind following interplanetary shock w.ve.: Evidence for 
magnetic bottles?, J. Geophys. Res., 78, 2001, 1973. 
Gosling, J. T., J. R. Asbridge, S. J. Bame, W. C. Feldman, .nd I.. D. Zwick!, 
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interplanetary shock, J. Geophys. Rea., 85, 3431, 1980. 
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variations: A unified view, Planet. Space Sci., 1I, 1183, 1969. 
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Hundhausen~ A. J., and J. T. Gosling, Solar wind structure at large 
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J. Geophys. Res., ~, 1419, 1982. 
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electron temperature dep':essions following some interplanetary shock wavel: 
Evidence for magnetic merging?,J. GeophYI. Rea., 79, 3103, 1974. 
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flows with two examples, J. GeophYI. Re •• , 1!, 2324, 1974. 
Pa1m~r, I. D., F. I.. Allum, and S. Singer~ Bidirectional .nisotropiew in solar 
cosmic ray events: Evidence for magnetic bottlel, J. Geophys'. Bes. J ,!!. 7,5. 
1978. 
~ 1 ____________________________________ _ 
I 
i 
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{lanMtan of fl.n .tnat, J, !HIIg! ...... !!,. 6649, "7V. 
SChattR. K. It., aM J. I. Schatt., .... tic field .tnac~\I'" ill 
n.r ...... oci.ted aoler wl_ dht·~" Jauc_. J.GeOPhz •• a. •• , 11, 4858, 1972. 
Sch .... n. I., H. Ioa.a __ r, .Dd It. R. Muhlhau •• r, Silllly-iOlli •• d heliua 1a t_ 
driven PI of .a 111terpl ... t.ry shock wave, GeophY'e .... ten., 7, 201, 
1980. - -
Salth, B. J., and J. B. Wolfe. Ob •• rv"tiou 
Corotatina shocks betweea 1 and 5 AU: 
Geophys. lei. Lett., 1. 137, 1976. 
of interaction l'8aiOll8 and 
Pioneers 10 .nd 11. 
TeIlllY. V. V •• sad o. L. Vailbers, Duab-bell"d1ltributiO'Ds of auperth.mal .olar 
wind electrons fr01l. Prognoz-7 ohlenstiO'Ds, Space "Iearch Institute, 
. 11p-499 , preprint. 1979. . 
ZWiCkl~ R. D.. J. R. Ashrid~; 0. J. B .... W. C. Feldman. and J. T. Goslina. 
Be .nd other unusual ionl in the lolar wind: A .y.t .... tic learch coverina 
1972-1980, J. Geophys. les., !I, 7379, 1982. 
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Plasma properties of driver gas following interplanetary shocks observed by ISEE-3

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