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Planetary bow shocks: Asymptotic MHD Mach cones

Earth, Planets and Space volume 55, pages 33–38 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

A direct approach for determining the asymptotic MHD Mach cone is formulated and solved. An implicit analytical solution enables the calculation of the asymptotic downstream slope of MHD Mach cones at any clock angle for arbitrary M s , M a , and ϑ bv . The solution obtained includes all previously known symmetric cases. The elongation and shift of the asymptotic fast mode shock cross-section are studied for a wide range of upstream plasma parameters as well as its unusual ‘chopped’ shape under certain conditions. Our results may be useful for planetary shock modeling and MHD numerical codes verification.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Code 696, Greenbelt, Maryland, 20771, USA

    M. Verigin, J. Slavin & A. Szabo

  2. Space Research Institute of Russian Academy of Sciences, Profsoyuznaya, 84/32, Moscow, 117997, Russia

    M. Verigin & G. Kotova

  3. University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48109-2143, USA

    T. Gombosi

Authors
  1. M. Verigin
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  2. J. Slavin
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  3. A. Szabo
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  4. G. Kotova
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  5. T. Gombosi
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Correspondence to M. Verigin.

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Verigin, M., Slavin, J., Szabo, A. et al. Planetary bow shocks: Asymptotic MHD Mach cones. Earth Planet Sp 55, 33–38 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1186/BF03352460

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