From Rankine‐Hugoniot relation fitting procedure: Tangential discontinuity or intermediate/slow shock?

Abstract

To identify an observed intermediate/slow shock, it is important to fit the measured magnetic fields and plasma on both sides using Rankine‐Hugoniot (R‐H) relations. It is not reliable to determine an intermediate/slow shock only by the shock properties and fitting procedure based on one spacecraft observation, though previous reported intermediate/slow shocks are confirmed in such a way. We investigated two shock‐like discontinuities, which satisfy the R‐H relations well. One meets the criterions of slow shocks and was reported as a slow shock, and another has all the characters of intermediate shock based on one spacecraft observation. However, both discontinuities also meet the requirements of tangential discontinuities and were confirmed as tangential discontinuities on large‐scale perspective by using multi‐spacecraft observations. We suggest that intermediate/slow shocks should be identified as carefully as possible and had better be determined by multi‐spacecraft.