| B | magnetic field |
| c | speed of light |
| cs | sound speed |
| E | electric field |
| f(x,v,t) | electron distribution function |
| G | total momentum density |
| J | current density |
| J* | "free-streaming" current density |
| k | wavenumber |
| kB | Boltzmann constant |
| m | particle mass |
| MA | Alfvén Mach number in the shock frame |
| n | particle number density |
| [^(n)] | shock normal direction |
| p | thermal pressure |
| P | pressure tensor |
| q | electric charge |
| Rc | radius of curvature |
| S | total energy flux |
| t | time |
| T | temperature |
| U | fluid velocity |
| v | particle velocity |
| vA | Alfvén speed |
| vf | fast mode wave speed |
| V0 | velocity of plasma flow into the shock |
| VHT | de Hoffman-Teller velocity |
| Vin | velocity of plasma flow into the simulation box |
| W | total energy density |
| x,y,z | x,y,z position co-ordinates |
| a | particle pitch angle |
| b | plasma beta |
| g | Lorentz factor |
| g | polytropic exponent |
| G | current per unit mass |
| Dt | time step |
| Du | change in flow speed |
| Dx, Dy | grid cell sizes |
| e0 | dielectric constant |
| qBn | angle between the upstream magnetic field and the shock normal |
| l | wavelength |
| L | charge per unit mass |
| m | particle magnetic moment |
| m0 | permeability of free space |
| P | momentum flux tensor |
| r | mass density |
| rc | charge density |
| s | power law exponent |
| f | macroparticle weighting function |
| f0 | cross-shock potential |
| w | wave frequency |
| W | gyrofrequency |
| 0 | upstream quantity |
| 1 | downstream quantity |
| e | electron |
| i | ion |
| p | proton |
| r | reflected component |
| s | species |
| x,y,z | x,y,z vector components |
| HTF | quantity in the de Hoffman-Teller frame |
| IPF | quantity in the initial plasma frame |
| NIF | quantity in the normal incidence frame |
| || | component parallel to the magnetic field |
| ^ | component perpendicular to the magnetic field |
| * | characteristic speed calculated locally |