Statistical study of directional discontinuities: solar wind context and relevant properties for foreshock transient formation

Foreshock transients are formed when a solar wind directional discontinuity interacts with the reflected solar wind particles upstream of Earth's bow shock. Their sizes can be multiple Earth radii, and they can drive significant wave activity and accelerate particles in Earth's magnetosphere. In this study, we aim to determine which solar wind context hosts the most discontinuities and is the most favorable for foreshock transient formation. We consider quiet solar wind and large-scale structures like coronal mass ejections and high speed streams. To identify discontinuities in the solar wind, we use 1-second resolution magnetic field data from the Advanced Composition Explorer (ACE) spacecraft. We also use solar wind measurements from ACE to study properties around the discontinuities like direction of the convective electric field and solar wind cone angle, that can reveal whether a discontinuity is more likely to form a foreshock transient once it reaches the near-Earth space. In this work we use the definition "wave storm" to describe multi-hour intervals when ultra-low frequency wave activity on Earth is continuously increased. We will assess whether the occurrence rate of discontinuities and favorable conditions for foreshock transient formation in these large-scale structures are connected to wave storm occurrence and intensity.