Collision Free Shock Formation in Finite Temperature Plasmas

A one‐dimensional macro‐particle code is used to investigate the effect of finite initial ion temperature on large amplitude magnetosonic disturbances. Time‐dependent piston problems closely related to the earlier work of Auer, Hurwitz, and Kilb are studied. It is shown that at even relatively small plasma pressure to magnetic pressure ratios, large scale field fluctuations accompanying orbit crossings produce quasistationary shocks for all values of Mach numbers investigated. This is in contrast to cold plasma results, where similar results were observed only if the Mach number was chosen well in excess of the critical value (M A,cr = 2) . The mechanism of electron heating is not treated in this study.