Pa. Robinson et Ih. Cairns, MAXIMUM LANGMUIR FIELDS IN PLANETARY FORESHOCKS DETERMINED FROM THE ELECTROSTATIC DECAY THRESHOLD, Geophysical research letters, 22(19), 1995, pp. 2657-2660
Maximum electric fields of Langmuir waves at planetary foreshocks are
estimated from the threshold for electrostatic decay, assuming it satu
rates beam-driven growth, and incorporating heliospheric variation of
plasma density and temperature. Comparison with spacecraft observation
s yields good quantitative agreement. Observations in type III radio s
ources are also in accord with this interpretation. A single mechanism
can thus account for the highest fields of beam driven waves in both
contexts.