Weibel-dominated quasi-perpendicular shock: hybrid simulations and in situ observations

Abstract

We directly compare hybrid kinetic simulations and in-situ observations of a high Mach number high-beta shock in the Solar wind. We launch virtual probes to demonstrate that the model quantitatively reproduces the observations. The observed wave properties are caused by the ion Weibel instability in the shock foot. Parameters of reflected ions in the shock foot are extracted from simulations, and their coordinate dependencies are linearly approximated. These approximations could be used in analytical models. Due to strong magnetic variations at ramp the reflected ions density can be locally very high (nearly that of the incoming flow), which makes favorable conditions for the instability.