Distinct shock acceleration processes — Evaluation of the magnetic trap dimensions formed upstream of an interplanetary shock using measurements of the ulysses spacecraft Original Research Article

We analyze the acceleration signatures of energetic ions (E > 50 keV) and electrons (E > 30 keV) being observed on day 256 of the year 1992 UT, in the vicinity of the surface of a fast-mode quasi-perpendicular interplanetary hydromagnetic shock, using fine time resolution measurements by the HI-SCALE instrument onboard the Ulysses spacecraft,(s/c). The observations present strong evidence for the acceleration of energetic particles trapped within magnetic structures on the surface of the fast-mode shock. We discuss the flux-times profiles and particle distributions near the shock in the context of previous theoretical studies and models. Moreover we are in the procedure of evaluating the width L and amplitude A of the magnetic structure by using HI-SCALE measurements and a sinusoidal form geometry.