Radial Evolution of Interplanetary Shock Properties with Heliospheric Distance: Observations from Parker Solar Probe
We present a comprehensive analysis of 66 interplanetary shocks observed by the Parker Solar Probe between 2018 November and 2024 January. Among these, 33 events fulfilled the Rankine–Hugoniot (R-H) conditions, ensuring reliable asymptotic plasma parameter solutions. The remaining 33 events could no...
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ada558 |
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| author | Oksana Kruparova Adam Szabo Lan K. Jian František Němec Jana Šafránková Zdeněk Němeček Jacob Pasanen Ayris Narock Vratislav Krupar |
| author_facet | Oksana Kruparova Adam Szabo Lan K. Jian František Němec Jana Šafránková Zdeněk Němeček Jacob Pasanen Ayris Narock Vratislav Krupar |
| author_sort | Oksana Kruparova |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We present a comprehensive analysis of 66 interplanetary shocks observed by the Parker Solar Probe between 2018 November and 2024 January. Among these, 33 events fulfilled the Rankine–Hugoniot (R-H) conditions, ensuring reliable asymptotic plasma parameter solutions. The remaining 33 events could not be confirmed by the standard R-H approach—potentially including wave-like structures—yet were analyzed via averaging and mixed-data methods to obtain robust shock parameters. Utilizing our ShOck Detection Algorithm database, the shocks are categorized into fast-forward, fast-reverse, slow-forward, and slow-reverse types. We investigate the statistical properties of these shocks, focusing on correlations between key parameters—magnetic field compression, density compression, shock normal angle, and change in velocity—and heliocentric distance. Significant positive correlations are identified between heliocentric distance and both magnetic field compression and density compression, suggesting that shocks strengthen as they propagate away from the Sun, largely due to the high local magnetosonic speeds closer to the Sun that can suppress shock formation except in extremely fast events. These findings provide new insights into the dynamic processes governing shock evolution in the inner heliosphere, including scenarios where the near-radial magnetic field geometry may lead to predominantly quasi-parallel shock configurations and thus affect near-Sun particle acceleration efficiency. We also provide strong evidence for the existence of slow-mode shocks near the Sun, contributing to the understanding of shock formation and evolution in the inner heliosphere. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-3cf838bdc11f4a48b70cde9c56bec112 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-8205 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
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| series | The Astrophysical Journal Letters |
| spelling | doaj-art-3cf838bdc11f4a48b70cde9c56bec1122025-01-14T15:32:17ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal Letters2041-82052025-01-019791L1010.3847/2041-8213/ada558Radial Evolution of Interplanetary Shock Properties with Heliospheric Distance: Observations from Parker Solar ProbeOksana Kruparova0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1122-6422Adam Szabo1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3255-9071Lan K. Jian2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6849-5527František Němec3https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3233-2718Jana Šafránková4https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4178-5206Zdeněk Němeček5https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8160-3051Jacob Pasanen6https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8160-3051Ayris Narock7https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6746-7455Vratislav Krupar8https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6185-3945Goddard Planetary Heliophysics Institute, University of Maryland , Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA ; oksana.kruparova@nasa.gov; Heliospheric Physics Laboratory , Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USAHeliospheric Physics Laboratory , Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USAHeliospheric Physics Laboratory , Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USAFaculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University , 121 16 Prague, Czech RepublicFaculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University , 121 16 Prague, Czech RepublicFaculty of Mathematics and Physics, Charles University , 121 16 Prague, Czech RepublicHeliospheric Physics Laboratory , Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA; ADNET Systems Inc , Bethesda, MD, 20817, USAHeliospheric Physics Laboratory , Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USA; ADNET Systems Inc , Bethesda, MD, 20817, USAGoddard Planetary Heliophysics Institute, University of Maryland , Baltimore County, Baltimore, MD 21250, USA ; oksana.kruparova@nasa.gov; Heliospheric Physics Laboratory , Heliophysics Science Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USAWe present a comprehensive analysis of 66 interplanetary shocks observed by the Parker Solar Probe between 2018 November and 2024 January. Among these, 33 events fulfilled the Rankine–Hugoniot (R-H) conditions, ensuring reliable asymptotic plasma parameter solutions. The remaining 33 events could not be confirmed by the standard R-H approach—potentially including wave-like structures—yet were analyzed via averaging and mixed-data methods to obtain robust shock parameters. Utilizing our ShOck Detection Algorithm database, the shocks are categorized into fast-forward, fast-reverse, slow-forward, and slow-reverse types. We investigate the statistical properties of these shocks, focusing on correlations between key parameters—magnetic field compression, density compression, shock normal angle, and change in velocity—and heliocentric distance. Significant positive correlations are identified between heliocentric distance and both magnetic field compression and density compression, suggesting that shocks strengthen as they propagate away from the Sun, largely due to the high local magnetosonic speeds closer to the Sun that can suppress shock formation except in extremely fast events. These findings provide new insights into the dynamic processes governing shock evolution in the inner heliosphere, including scenarios where the near-radial magnetic field geometry may lead to predominantly quasi-parallel shock configurations and thus affect near-Sun particle acceleration efficiency. We also provide strong evidence for the existence of slow-mode shocks near the Sun, contributing to the understanding of shock formation and evolution in the inner heliosphere.https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ada558Solar windShocksInterplanetary medium |
| spellingShingle | Oksana Kruparova Adam Szabo Lan K. Jian František Němec Jana Šafránková Zdeněk Němeček Jacob Pasanen Ayris Narock Vratislav Krupar Radial Evolution of Interplanetary Shock Properties with Heliospheric Distance: Observations from Parker Solar Probe The Astrophysical Journal Letters Solar wind Shocks Interplanetary medium |
| title | Radial Evolution of Interplanetary Shock Properties with Heliospheric Distance: Observations from Parker Solar Probe |
| title_full | Radial Evolution of Interplanetary Shock Properties with Heliospheric Distance: Observations from Parker Solar Probe |
| title_fullStr | Radial Evolution of Interplanetary Shock Properties with Heliospheric Distance: Observations from Parker Solar Probe |
| title_full_unstemmed | Radial Evolution of Interplanetary Shock Properties with Heliospheric Distance: Observations from Parker Solar Probe |
| title_short | Radial Evolution of Interplanetary Shock Properties with Heliospheric Distance: Observations from Parker Solar Probe |
| title_sort | radial evolution of interplanetary shock properties with heliospheric distance observations from parker solar probe |
| topic | Solar wind Shocks Interplanetary medium |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/2041-8213/ada558 |
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