Magnetospheric Multiscale Observations of Earth's Oblique Bow Shock Reformation by Foreshock Ultralow-Frequency Waves

Collisionless shocks can be nonstationary with periodic reformation shown in many simulation results, but direct observations are still tenuous and difficult to conclusively interpret. In this study, using Magnetospheric Multiscale (MMS) observations, we report direct observational evidence of Earth's oblique bow shock reformation driven by the foreshock Ultralow-Frequency (ULF) waves. When the four MMS spacecraft were in a string-of-pearls formation roughly along the bow shock normal, they observed that when each period of foreshock ULF waves encountered the bow shock, a new shock ramp formed. Meanwhile, in the magnetosheath, the old bow shock's remnants were observed periodically convecting downstream. We propose that the reformation mechanism of the oblique bow shock is the variation of the upstream conditions by the periodic ULF waves as they encounter the bow shock. We also examine the nature of reflected ions during the reformation process. Key Points . MMS in a string-of-pearls formation observed oblique bow shock reformation induced by foreshock ULF waves We propose the reformation mechanism is the periodic modification of the bow shock upstream conditions by the ULF waves The bow shock reformation generated ULF perturbations in the magnetosheath and modulated reflected ions