Interplanetary shock in the magnetosheath: Comparison of experimental data with MHD modeling

Abstract

The paper continues the study of the evolution of interplanetary (IP) shocks in the solar wind and their propagation through the magnetosheath. We compare profiles of the magnetic field and plasma parameters observed experimentally by several spacecraft in the solar wind and magnetosheath with profiles of the same parameters generated by two MHD numerical models (the global 3D MHD BATS‐R‐US model and a local magnetosheath model). The experimental magnetosheath data are well reproduced by the model profiles even though the profiles exhibit complicated structure caused by the interaction of the IP shock with Earth's bow shock and magnetopause. The good agreement of experimental data with the model results suggests that kinetic effects play a minor role in these interactions.