Journal article
Using Synthetic Spacecraft Data to Interpret Compressible Fluctuations in Solar Wind Turbulence
The Astrophysical journal, Vol.755(2), pp.1-16
06/28/2012
DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/755/2/159
Abstract
ApJ, 755, 159; 2012 Kinetic plasma theory is used to generate synthetic spacecraft data to
analyze and interpret the compressible fluctuations in the inertial range of
solar wind turbulence. The kinetic counterparts of the three familiar linear
MHD wave modes---the fast, Alfven, and slow waves---are identified and the
properties of the density-parallel magnetic field correlation for these kinetic
wave modes is presented. The construction of synthetic spacecraft data, based
on the quasi-linear premise---that some characteristics of magnetized plasma
turbulence can be usefully modeled as a collection of randomly phased, linear
wave modes---is described in detail. Theoretical predictions of the
density-parallel magnetic field correlation based on MHD and Vlasov-Maxwell
linear eigenfunctions are presented and compared to the observational
determination of this correlation based on 10 years of Wind spacecraft data. It
is demonstrated that MHD theory is inadequate to describe the compressible
turbulent fluctuations and that the observed density-parallel magnetic field
correlation is consistent with a statistically negligible kinetic fast wave
energy contribution for the large sample used in this study. A model of the
solar wind inertial range fluctuations is proposed comprised of a mixture of a
critically balanced distribution of incompressible Alfvenic fluctuations and a
critically balanced or more anisotropic than critical balance distribution of
compressible slow wave fluctuations. These results imply that there is little
or no transfer of large scale turbulent energy through the inertial range down
to whistler waves at small scales.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Using Synthetic Spacecraft Data to Interpret Compressible Fluctuations in Solar Wind Turbulence
- Creators
- K. G Klein - University of IowaG. G Howes - University of IowaJ. M TenBarge - University of IowaS. D Bale - University of California, BerkeleyC. H. K Chen - University of California, BerkeleyC. S Salem - University of California, Berkeley
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- The Astrophysical journal, Vol.755(2), pp.1-16
- DOI
- 10.1088/0004-637X/755/2/159
- ISSN
- 0004-637X
- eISSN
- 1538-4357
- Publisher
- Institute of Physics (IOP)
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 06/28/2012
- Academic Unit
- Physics and Astronomy
- Record Identifier
- 9984200048402771
Metrics
13 Record Views