skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: INCORPORATING KINETIC PHYSICS INTO A TWO-FLUID SOLAR-WIND MODEL WITH TEMPERATURE ANISOTROPY AND LOW-FREQUENCY ALFVEN-WAVE TURBULENCE

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal
;  [1];  [2]
  1. Space Science Center and Department of Physics, University of New Hampshire, Durham, NH 03824 (United States)
  2. Astronomy Department and Theoretical Astrophysics Center, 601 Campbell Hall, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)

We develop a one-dimensional solar-wind model that includes separate energy equations for the electrons and protons, proton temperature anisotropy, collisional and collisionless heat flux, and an analytical treatment of low-frequency, reflection-driven, Alfven-wave (AW) turbulence. To partition the turbulent heating between electron heating, parallel proton heating, and perpendicular proton heating, we employ results from the theories of linear wave damping and nonlinear stochastic heating. We account for mirror and oblique firehose instabilities by increasing the proton pitch-angle scattering rate when the proton temperature anisotropy exceeds the threshold for either instability. We numerically integrate the equations of the model forward in time until a steady state is reached, focusing on two fast-solar-wind-like solutions. These solutions are consistent with a number of observations, supporting the idea that AW turbulence plays an important role in the origin of the solar wind.

OSTI ID:
22004386
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal, Vol. 743, Issue 2; Other Information: Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0004-637X
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English