Langmuir waves in magnetic holes: source mechanism and consequences

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Abstract
Plasma wave observations from the Ulysses spacecraft indicate that electrostatic waves at frequencies approximately equal to the electron plasma frequency f pe are commonly found in magnetic holes. Magnetic holes are short-duration reductions in the amplitude of the interplanetary magnetic field. A model of the electron dynamics in a magnetic hole suggests that the waves are generated by electron beams of thermal energies, formed by adiabatic focusing of the electrons. These waves, presumed to be Langmuir mode, will have extremely short wavelengths, of the order of 100–1000 m. Such waves, observed in the solar wind, would be significantly Doppler shifted, which can be measured by the plasma wave receiver. The prevalence of waves in magnetic holes suggests that the magnetic structures are not stable and can provide constraints on their formation and evolution.

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