A shock surface geometry: The February 15--16, 1967, event

The flare-associated interplanetary (IP) shock of February 15--16, 1967, observed by Explorer 33 and Pioneer 7 is analyzed to yield an estimation of the ecliptic plane geometry of the shock surface near 1 AU. These spacecraft were separated by 23degree in heliocentric longitude, and Pioneer 7 was at a distance of 1.12 AU from the sun. There was an 18.9-hour delay between the two observations. The estimated shock normal, obtained by using a least squares shock parameter fitting procedure for the Explorer 33 data, is found to be theta/subS//subE/=-53degree and phi/subS//subE/=198degree. The error cone angle for the shock normal of the Explorer 33 observation was approximately 7degree. This severely inclined shock normal is not typical of IP shocks. The shock normal at the Pioneer 7 position is found to be theta/subn/=-14degree and phi/subn/=161degree. However, the uncertainty is large (approx. =25degree for a 1sigma cone angle). Although a data gap occurred at the apparent time of passage of the disturbance at Pioneer 6,the recovered data did not suggest such a passage. A consistent picture of the shock propagation is given. The average shock speed from the sun to each spacecraft and the local speed at Explorer 33 and their relations to the position of the initiating solar flare are obtained and discussed. In the region of space between the earth and Pioneer 7 the shock surface radius of curvature in the ecliptic plane appears to have been 0.4 AU or less