Journal article
Toward astrophysical turbulence in the laboratory
Physical review letters, Vol.109(25), pp.255001-255001
12/21/2012
DOI: 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.255001
PMID: 23368473
Abstract
Turbulence is a ubiquitous phenomenon in space and astrophysical plasmas, driving a cascade of energy from large to small scales and strongly influencing the plasma heating resulting from the dissipation of the turbulence. Modern theories of plasma turbulence are based on the fundamental concept that the turbulent cascade of energy is caused by the nonlinear interaction between counterpropagating Alfvén waves, yet this interaction has never been observationally or experimentally verified. We present here the first experimental measurement in a laboratory plasma of the nonlinear interaction between counterpropagating Alfvén waves, the fundamental building block of astrophysical plasma turbulence. This measurement establishes a firm basis for the application of theoretical ideas developed in idealized models to turbulence in realistic space and astrophysical plasma systems.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Toward astrophysical turbulence in the laboratory
- Creators
- G G Howes - University of IowaD J Drake - Valdosta State UniversityK D Nielson - University of IowaT A Carter - University of California, Los AngelesC A Kletzing - University of IowaF Skiff - University of Iowa
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Physical review letters, Vol.109(25), pp.255001-255001
- DOI
- 10.1103/PhysRevLett.109.255001
- PMID
- 23368473
- NLM abbreviation
- Phys Rev Lett
- ISSN
- 0031-9007
- eISSN
- 1079-7114
- Grant note
- DOI: 10.13039/100000001, name: National Science Foundation; DOI: 10.13039/100000015, name: U.S. Department of Energy; DOI: 10.13039/100000104, name: National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 12/21/2012
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984200050102771
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