Plasma boundaries and shocks

Abstract

The quadrennium has seen an explosive growth in our knowledge and understanding of the various plasma and magnetic field boundaries in the terrestrial magnetosphere. Nowhere is that more evident than at the magneto pause and bow shock. In the 1975 and 1979 quadrennial reports, the magnetopause was covered in a single paragraph each year. The bow shock received one paragraph in 1975 and none in 1979! The reason for the resurgence of interest in these boundaries was the availability of new and exciting measurements from the ISEE‐1 and ‐2 spacecraft.