HR: 0830h
AN: SM21B-0214    [PDF]
TI: Amplitude and Time Duration Statistics of Electrostatic Solitary Waves Observed by the Cluster Fleet in the Magnetic Field Regime 5-550 nT
AU: * Pickett, J S
EM: pickett@uiowa.edu
AF: Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 United States
AU: Chen, L
EM: li-jen-chen@uiowa.edu
AF: Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 United States
AU: Kahler, S W
EM: swk@space.physics.uiowa.edu
AF: Department of Physics and Astronomy, The University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 United States
AB: The high resolution Wideband plasma wave receiver onboard each of the four Cluster spacecraft observes electrostatic solitary waves throughout much of the 4 x 19 Re Cluster orbit. These solitary waves, when clearly distinguished from other wave emissions, are generally in the form of bipolar (one positive peak and one negative peak) and tripolar (two positive peaks, one negative peak, or vice versa) pulses. The amplitudes and time durations of these pulses vary throughout the orbit. Using a statistical meaningful set of measurements from many Cluster orbits, we show that there appears to be a dependence of the amplitude and time duration of the solitary waves upon the strength of the local magnetic field. We discuss explanations for this dependence by interpreting these electrostatic solitary waves as Bernstein-Greene-Kruskal (BGK) mode phase space holes and double layers.
DE: 2772 Plasma waves and instabilities
DE: 7815 Electrostatic structures
DE: 7839 Nonlinear phenomena
DE: 7871 Waves and instabilities
SC: SPA - Magnetospheric Physics [SM]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting