Based on 297 interplanetary shock waves and corresponding geomagnetic disturbances, the relation between their structures has been studied. For the case in which the interplanetary magnetic field lies basically in the ecliptic plane, we found that (1) the temporal profile ofgeomagnetic disturbance is mainly determined by the plasma state of the shock waves, especially, the closed relation exists between the plasma temperature profile and the recovery phase of geomagnetic disturbances; (2) shock

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... wave energy transfer index, Fs., as defined in the paper, can give a good prediction of the temporal profiles of geomagnetic disturbances. Thus, it may be deduced that there is a basic energy transfer mechanism associated with plasma processes, which would control geomagnetic disturbance profiles, when a southward-component of interplanetary magnetic field is not significant.