Large three-dimensional ellipsoid sphere-shaped structure of electrostatic solitary waves in the terrestrial bow shock under condition of Ωce/ωpe < < 1

Abstract

Several cases of short-time durational large-amplitude three-dimensional (3-D) electrostatic solitary waves (ESWs) are observed within the transition layer of the terrestrial bow shock by THEMIS/E. Their pulse width is small (0.8-2 ms), but the amplitude is large (greater than 100 mV/m), suggesting a very strong potential drop. Two character angles (θ1 and θ2) are defined to describe the 3-D characteristics of the ESWs, and it returns results as 76°> θ1 > 27°and 70°> θ2 > 20°, suggesting that the electron potential holes are mainly in 3-D ellipsoid sphere-shaped structure, including "pancake-shaped" structure and "sphere-shaped" structure. None of the theories commonly used to describe ESWs adequately address these pancake-shaped and sphere-shaped three-dimensional structures observed in the terrestrial bow shock, where ωce <<1 ©2013. American Geophysical Union. All Rights Reserved.