Spatial scales of the magnetic ramp at the Venusian bow shock

Abstract

Abstract. Typically multi-spacecraft missions are ideally suited to the study of shock spatial scales due to the separation of temporal and spatial variations. These missions are not possible at all locations and therefore in-situ multi-spacecraft measurements are not available beyond the Earth. The present paper presents a study of shock spatial scales using single spacecraft measurements made by the Venus Express spacecraft. The scales are determined based on previous knowledge of shock overshoot scales measured by the ISEE and Cluster missions. The study encompasses around 60 crossings of the Venusian bow shock from 2006 to 2009. The statistical relationship between the shock ramp spatial scales, overshoot and upstream shock parameters are investigated. We find that despite somewhat different solar wind conditions our results are comparable with those based on multi-spacecraft missions at the terrestrial bow shock.