On the Formation of Super-Alfv\'enic Flows Downstream of Collisionless Shocks

Abstract

Super-Alfv\'enic jets, with kinetic energy densities significantly exceeding that of the solar wind, are commonly generated downstream of Earth's bow shock under both high and low beta plasma conditions. In this study, we present theoretical evidence that these enhanced kinetic energy flows are driven by firehose-unstable fluctuations and compressive heating within collisionless plasma environments. Using a fluid formalism that incorporates pressure anisotropy, we estimate that the downstream flow of a collisionless plasma shock can be accelerated by a factor of 2 to 4 following the compression and saturation of firehose instability. By analyzing quasi-parallel magnetosheath jets observed in situ by the Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) mission, we find that approximately 11\% of plasma measurements within these jets exhibit firehose-unstable fluctuations. Our findings offer an explanation for the distinctive generation of fast downstream flows in both low ($\beta<1$) and high ($\beta>1$) beta plasmas, and provide new evidence that kinetic processes are crucial for accurately describing the formation and evolution of magnetosheath jets.