Role of Middle-Scale Solar Wind Structures in the Turbulence Development Behind the Bow Shock

Abstract

The study estimates the contribution of middle-scale solar wind structures (variations recorded by a spacecraft during ~10 min intervals) in turbulence development in the transition region behind the bow shock. The analysis is based on simultaneous measurements of plasma and/or magnetic field parameters in the solar wind, in the dayside magnetosheath, and on the flanks. The study adopts measurements by Wind, THEMIS, and Spektr-R spacecraft. The properties of the magnetic field and ion flux fluctuation spectra are analyzed in the 0.01–4 Hz frequency range, which corresponds to the transition from MHD to kinetic scales. The dynamics of turbulence properties in the magnetosheath is governed by large-scale disturbances, while structures with smaller scales have an effect in the absence of large-scale structures.