Double shock pairs in the solar wind
A numerical study of the evolution of a velocity enhancement disturbance in the solar wind is presented in terms of a 1D isentropic MHD flow model. It is shown that the disturbance steepens and evolves into a double shock pair while propagating outward away from the sun. The double shock pair consists of a reverse fast shock, a reverse slow shock, a forward slow shock, and a forward fast shock in order of distance away from the sun. The formation time of the double shock pair is nearly inversely proportional to the average velocity gradient of the disturbance. When the double shock pair is fully developed, the strength of the fast shocks is essentially determined by the disturbance amplitude, while the slow shocks behave differently. Their strength increases first with the disturbance amplitude but starts to decrease once the disturbance amplitude exceeds a certain value.