Estimates of Proton and Electron Heating Rates Extended to the Near-Sun Environment

R. Bandyopadhyay; C. M. Meyer; W. H. Matthaeus; D. J. McComas; S. R. Cranmer; J. S. Halekas; J. Huang; D. E. Larson; R. Livi; A. Rahmati; P. L. Whittlesey; M. L. Stevens; J. C. Kasper; S. D. Bale

doi:10.3847/2041-8213/acf85e

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Estimates of Proton and Electron Heating Rates Extended to the Near-Sun Environment

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Estimates of Proton and Electron Heating Rates Extended to the Near-Sun Environment

R. Bandyopadhyay, C. M. Meyer, W. H. Matthaeus, D. J. McComas, S. R. Cranmer, J. S. Halekas, J. Huang, D. E. Larson, R. Livi, A. Rahmati, …

Astrophysical journal. Letters, Vol.955(2), L28

10/01/2023

DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/acf85e

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Abstract

A central problem of space plasma physics is how protons and electrons are heated in a turbulent, magnetized plasma. The differential heating of charged species due to dissipation of turbulent fluctuations plays a key role in solar wind evolution. Measurements from previous heliophysics missions have provided estimates of proton and electron heating rates beyond 0.27 au. Using Parker Solar Probe (PSP) data accumulated during the first 10 encounters, we extend the evaluation of the individual rates of heat deposition for protons and electrons to a distance of 0.063 au (13.5 R⊙) in the newly formed solar wind. The PSP data in the near-Sun environment show different behavior of the electron heat conduction flux from what was predicted from previous fits to Helios and Ulysses data. Consequently, the empirically derived proton and electron heating rates exhibit significantly different behavior than previous reports, with the proton heating becoming increasingly dominant over electron heating at decreasing heliocentric distances. We find that the protons receive about 80% of the total plasma heating at ≈13 R⊙, slightly higher than the near-Earth values. This empirically derived heating partition between protons and electrons will help to constrain theoretical models of solar wind heating

Magnetohydrodynamics

Interplanetary physics

Interplanetary turbulence

Solar coronal heating

Solar wind

Details

Title: Subtitle: Estimates of Proton and Electron Heating Rates Extended to the Near-Sun Environment
Creators: R. Bandyopadhyay - Princeton University
C. M. Meyer - Princeton University
W. H. Matthaeus - University of Delaware
D. J. McComas - Princeton University
S. R. Cranmer - Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics
J. S. Halekas - University of Iowa
J. Huang - University of California, Berkeley
D. E. Larson - University of California, Berkeley
R. Livi - University of California, Berkeley
A. Rahmati - University of California, Berkeley
P. L. Whittlesey - University of California, Berkeley
M. L. Stevens - Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
J. C. Kasper - 1366 Technologies (United States)
S. D. Bale - University of California, Berkeley
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Astrophysical journal. Letters, Vol.955(2), L28
DOI: 10.3847/2041-8213/acf85e
ISSN: 2041-8205
eISSN: 2041-8213
Publisher: The American Astronomical Society
Number of pages: 6
Grant note: 80NSSC18K1648 / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (https://doi.org/10.13039/100000104) SUB0000165 / Princeton University (PU) (https://doi.org/10.13039/100006734) 80NSSC21K1767 / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (https://doi.org/10.13039/100000104) NNN06AA01C / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (https://doi.org/10.13039/100000104) 80NSSC18K1210 / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (https://doi.org/10.13039/100000104) 80NSSC21K1765 / National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) (https://doi.org/10.13039/100000104)
Language: English
Date published: 10/01/2023
Academic Unit: Physics and Astronomy
Record Identifier: 9984473942202771

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