Journal article
On the Interpretation of Magnetic Helicity Signatures in the Dissipation Range of Solar Wind Turbulence
Astrophysical journal. Letters, Vol.709(1), pp.L49-L52
10/26/2009
DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/709/1/L49
Abstract
Measurements of small-scale turbulent fluctuations in the solar wind find a
non-zero right-handed magnetic helicity. This has been interpreted as evidence
for ion cyclotron damping. However, theoretical and empirical evidence suggests
that the majority of the energy in solar wind turbulence resides in low
frequency anisotropic kinetic Alfven wave fluctuations that are not subject to
ion cyclotron damping. We demonstrate that a dissipation range comprised of
kinetic Alfven waves also produces a net right-handed fluctuating magnetic
helicity signature consistent with observations. Thus, the observed magnetic
helicity signature does not necessarily imply that ion cyclotron damping is
energetically important in the solar wind.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- On the Interpretation of Magnetic Helicity Signatures in the Dissipation Range of Solar Wind Turbulence
- Creators
- Gregory G Howes - University of IowaEliot Quataert - University of California, Berkeley
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Astrophysical journal. Letters, Vol.709(1), pp.L49-L52
- DOI
- 10.1088/2041-8205/709/1/L49
- ISSN
- 2041-8205
- eISSN
- 2041-8213
- Publisher
- The American Astronomical Society
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 10/26/2009
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984199694102771