Abstract
Measurements from the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission indicate
that the density gradients associated with nonlinear compressional
structures (shocklets) in a quasi-parallel bow shock trigger
sequentially two instabilities that heat ions and electrons. The
Lower-Hybrid-Drift (LHD) instability, triggered by the diamagnetic drift
of ions, produces electric fields and ExB drift of electrons that
triggers the Electron-Cyclotron-Drift (ECD) instability. Both
instabilities create large amplitude electric fields
$\sim$20–200 mV/m at wavelengths comparable to the
electron gyroradius. Strong gradients of the electric field lead to
stochastic heating of both ions and electrons, controlled by a
dimensionless function $\chi = m_iq_i^{-1}
B^{-2}\mathrm{div}(\mathbf{E}_\perp)$,
which represents a universal, non-resonant heating mechanism for
particles species with mass $m_i$ and charge $ q_i$, independent
of the type of waves and instabilities.