Plasma Double Layers at the Boundary between Venus and the Solar Wind | CU Experts

The solar wind is slowed, deflected, and heated as it encounters Venus's; induced magnetosphere. The importance of kinetic plasma processes to; these interactions has not been examined in detail, due to a lack of; constraining observations. In this study, kinetic-scale electric field; structures are identified in the Venusian magnetosheath, including; plasma double layers. The double layers may be driven by currents or; mixing of inhomogeneous plasmas near the edge of the magnetosheath.; Estimated double layer spatial scales are consistent with those reported; at Earth. Estimated potential drops are similar to electron temperature; gradients across the bow shock. Many double layers are found in few high; cadence data captures, suggesting that their amplitudes are high; relative to other magnetosheath plasma waves. These are the first direct; observations of plasma double layers beyond near-Earth space, supporting; the idea that kinetic plasma processes are active in many space plasma; environments.

Malaspina DM; Goodrich KA; Livi R; Halekas JS; McManus MD; Curry SM; Bale SD; Bonnell JW; Wit TDD; Goetz K

VIVO