Short large-amplitude magnetic structures and whistler wave precursors in a full-particle quasi-parallel shock simulation

[1] A one-dimensional (1-D) full-particle electromagnetic simulation code (PIC) is used to investigate the role of upstream whistler and low-frequency upstream waves during cyclic reformation of a medium Alfven Mach number quasi-parallel collisionless shock ( magnetic field - shock normal angle = 30degrees). The ion to electron mass ratio is assumed to be 100. Compared with previous PIC simulations, the upstream region is large enough to allow for the emergence of low-frequency upstream waves by the interaction of backstreaming ions with the solar wind via an ion/ion beam instability in the far upstream region. It is shown that the low-frequency upstream waves steepen up into pulsations ( or short large-amplitude magnetic structures ( SLAMS)), as has been shown earlier by hybrid simulations. As these pulsations are added to the shock and thus comprise the shock, the upstream edge radiates a phase standing whistler train. This whistler train propagates partway into the newly arriving pulsation. The nonlinear interaction of reflected ions and incoming solar wind ions in the electrostatic potential of the whistler leads to ion trapping and rapid whistler damping. This results in SLAMS consisting of two regions with different ion temperatures. The cyclic reformation is essentially due to the SLAMS being added to the shock and is of larger scale (similar to 10 ion inertial lengths) as compared with the whistler scale.