Determination of Instantaneous Frequencies of Low Plasma Waves in the Magnetosheath Using Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) and Hilbert Transform (HT)

Ekong Ufot Nathaniel, Nyakno Jimmy George, Sunday Edet Etuk

Department of Physics, Akwa Ibom State University, Ikot Akpaden, Nigeria.
Department of Physics, University of Uyo, Uyo, Nigeria.

DOI: 10.4236/acs.2013.34060                

Abstract

The observations of in-situ spacecraft mission in the magnetosheath and a region of thermalized subsonic plasma behind the bow shock reveal a non-linear behaviour of plasma waves. The study of waves and optics in Physics has given the understanding of the effect of many waves coming together to form a wave field or wave packet. The common aspect of such study shows that two or more waves can superimpose constructively or destructively. The sudden high magnetic field data in the magnetosheath displays such possibility of superposition of waves. In this paper, we use the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) and Hilbert transform (HT) techniques to determine the instantaneous frequencies of low frequency plasma waves in the magnetosheath. Our analysis has shown that the turbulent behavior of magnetic field in the magnetosheath within the selected period is due to superposition of waves.

Keywords

Plasma Waves; Instantaneous Frequency; Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD); Hilbert Transform (HT)

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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