Solar Wind Reflected Ion Properties at Earth's Bow Shock: Dependence on Upstream Conditions and Shock Geometry

TL;DR

This study analyzes how upstream conditions and shock geometry influence reflected ion properties at Earth's bow shock using THEMIS data, revealing key dependencies and improving reflection models.

Contribution

It provides the first comprehensive statistical analysis linking reflected ion characteristics to upstream and shock parameters, refining existing reflection models.

Findings

Reflection ratio decreases with larger magnetic field-shock normal angle.

Reflected ion energies are better modeled by combined adiabatic and specular models.

Ion temperature correlates strongly with magnetic field fluctuations.

Abstract

Solar wind ion reflection at collisionless shocks regulates foreshock plasma dynamics, yet the quantitative dependence of reflected ion properties on upstream and shock-related parameters remains unclear, causing difficulties in predicting foreshock disturbances. We present a statistical study of solar wind reflected ions near the Earth's bow shock using THEMIS observations from 59 well-defined shock crossings between 2016 and 2019. Reflected ion moments are derived after removal of the solar wind core and compared with upstream and shock parameters. The reflection ratio decreases with increasing angle between interplanetary magnetic field and shock normal, and increases with magnetic compression ratio, indicating that shock geometry and magnetic compression primarily regulate ion reflection. Reflected ion energies deviate from individual idealized reflection models: the adiabatic model overestimates total ion energy, whereas the specular model captures the perpendicular component. A combined adiabatic-specular representation improves the linear energy correspondence, and model-observation agreement increases under quasi-perpendicular shock conditions for all comparisons. Reflected ion temperature correlates with upstream magnetic field strength and solar wind temperature, and shows a substantially stronger dependence on magnetic field fluctuation energy. Overall, reflected ion properties are primarily governed by upstream conditions and shock structure, with magnetic field fluctuations contributing to ion thermalization, providing observational constraints on ion reflection and heating at Earth's bow shock.