The source region of an interplanetary type II radio burst

Abstract

We present the first observation of the source region of an interplanetary type II radio burst, using instruments on the Wind spacecraft. Type II radio emission tracks the motion of a CME‐driven interplanetary (IP) shock which encounters the spacecraft. Upstream of the IP shock backstreaming electrons are observed, first antiparallel to the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and then later parallel as well. Langmuir waves are observed concomitant with the shock‐accelerated electrons. The electron energy spectrum and Langmuir wave amplitudes are very similar to those observed in the terrestrial electron foreshock. From the connection times to the shock, we infer the existence and characteristic size of large scale structure on the shock front. The type II radio emission seems to be generated in a small bay upstream of the shock, and this may account for some splitting structure observed in the frequency spectrum of many type II bursts.