Shear flow induced wave couplings in the solar wind
- KULeuven, Heverlee (Belgium). Centre for Plasma Astrophysics
- Tbilisi State Univ. (Georgia). Dept. of Physics
- Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Institute for Fusion Studies
A sheared background flow in a plasma induces coupling between different MHD wave modes, resulting in their mutual transformations with corresponding energy redistributing between the modes. In this way, the energy can be transfered from one wave mode to the other, but energy can also be added to or extracted from the background flow. In the present paper it is investigated whether the wave coupling and energy transfer mechanisms can operate under solar wind conditions. It is shown that this is indeed the case. Hence, the long-period waves observed in the solar wind at r > 0.3 AU might be generated by much faster periodic oscillations in the photosphere of the Sun. Other possible consequences for observable beat phenomena in the wind and the acceleration of the solar wind particles are also discussed.
- Research Organization:
- Univ. of Texas, Austin, TX (United States). Institute for Fusion Studies
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Research, Washington, DC (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- FG03-96ER54346
- OSTI ID:
- 582279
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER/54346-807; ON: DE98004204; TRN: 98:001564
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Jan 1998
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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