Multi-Mission Observations of Relativistic Electrons and High-Speed Jets Linked to Shock Generated Transients

Abstract

Shock-generated transients, such as hot flow anomalies (HFAs), upstream of planetary bow shocks, play a critical role in electron acceleration. Using multi-mission data from NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) and ESA's Cluster missions, we demonstrate the transmission of HFAs through Earth's quasi-parallel bow shock, associated with acceleration of electrons up to relativistic energies. Energetic electrons, initially accelerated upstream, are shown to remain broadly confined within the transmitted transient structures downstream, where betatron acceleration further boosts their energy due to elevated compression levels. Additionally, high-speed jets form at the compressive edges of HFAs, exhibiting a significant increase in dynamic pressure and potentially contributing to driving further localized compression. Our findings emphasize the efficiency of quasi-parallel shocks in driving particle acceleration far beyond the immediate shock transition region, expanding the acceleration region to a larger spatial domain. Finally, this study underscores the importance of multi-scale observational approach in understanding the convoluted processes behind collisionless shock physics and their broader implications.

References in corpus (8)

• Relativistic electrons produced by foreshock disturbances
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• A database of MMS bow shock crossings compiled using machine learning
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• Transient Upstream Mesoscale Structures: Drivers of Solar-Quiet Space Weather
• Whistler waves in the quasi-parallel and quasi-perpendicular magnetosheath

Cited by in corpus (1)

• Compressive Structures in the Foreshock of Collisionless Shocks