The Discrepancy Between Simulation and Observation of Electric Fields in Collisionless Shocks
Recent time series observations of electric fields within collisionless shocks have shown that the fluctuating, electrostatic fields can be in excess of one hundred times that of the quasi-static electric fields. That is, the largest amplitude electric fields occur at high frequencies, not low. In c...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2021-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2020.592634/full |
| _version_ | 1818930774918823936 |
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| author | Lynn B. Wilson Li-Jen Chen Vadim Roytershteyn |
| author_facet | Lynn B. Wilson Li-Jen Chen Vadim Roytershteyn |
| author_sort | Lynn B. Wilson |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Recent time series observations of electric fields within collisionless shocks have shown that the fluctuating, electrostatic fields can be in excess of one hundred times that of the quasi-static electric fields. That is, the largest amplitude electric fields occur at high frequencies, not low. In contrast, many if not most kinetic simulations show the opposite, where the quasi-static electric fields dominate, unless they are specifically tailored to examine small-scale instabilities. Further, the shock ramp thickness is often observed to fall between the electron and ion scales while many simulations tend to produce ramp thicknesses at least at or above ion scales. This raises numerous questions about the role of small-scale instabilities and about the ability to directly compare simulations with observations. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T04:06:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-a5d7a56085fd40c5a4118483cefd9d50 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2296-987X |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T04:06:03Z |
| publishDate | 2021-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences |
| spelling | doaj.art-a5d7a56085fd40c5a4118483cefd9d502022-12-21T19:54:02ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences2296-987X2021-01-01710.3389/fspas.2020.592634592634The Discrepancy Between Simulation and Observation of Electric Fields in Collisionless ShocksLynn B. Wilson0Li-Jen Chen1Vadim Roytershteyn2NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Heliophysics Science Division, Greenbelt, MD, United StatesNASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Heliophysics Science Division, Greenbelt, MD, United StatesSpace Science Institute, Boulder, CO, United StatesRecent time series observations of electric fields within collisionless shocks have shown that the fluctuating, electrostatic fields can be in excess of one hundred times that of the quasi-static electric fields. That is, the largest amplitude electric fields occur at high frequencies, not low. In contrast, many if not most kinetic simulations show the opposite, where the quasi-static electric fields dominate, unless they are specifically tailored to examine small-scale instabilities. Further, the shock ramp thickness is often observed to fall between the electron and ion scales while many simulations tend to produce ramp thicknesses at least at or above ion scales. This raises numerous questions about the role of small-scale instabilities and about the ability to directly compare simulations with observations.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2020.592634/fullPIC simulationelectric field measurementkinetic instabilitiescollisionless shockenergy dissipation |
| spellingShingle | Lynn B. Wilson Li-Jen Chen Vadim Roytershteyn The Discrepancy Between Simulation and Observation of Electric Fields in Collisionless Shocks Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences PIC simulation electric field measurement kinetic instabilities collisionless shock energy dissipation |
| title | The Discrepancy Between Simulation and Observation of Electric Fields in Collisionless Shocks |
| title_full | The Discrepancy Between Simulation and Observation of Electric Fields in Collisionless Shocks |
| title_fullStr | The Discrepancy Between Simulation and Observation of Electric Fields in Collisionless Shocks |
| title_full_unstemmed | The Discrepancy Between Simulation and Observation of Electric Fields in Collisionless Shocks |
| title_short | The Discrepancy Between Simulation and Observation of Electric Fields in Collisionless Shocks |
| title_sort | discrepancy between simulation and observation of electric fields in collisionless shocks |
| topic | PIC simulation electric field measurement kinetic instabilities collisionless shock energy dissipation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fspas.2020.592634/full |
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