ON THE INTERPRETATION OF MAGNETIC HELICITY SIGNATURES IN THE DISSIPATION RANGE OF SOLAR WIND TURBULENCE
Journal Article
·
· Astrophysical Journal Letters
- Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242 (United States)
- Department of Astronomy, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)
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.
- OSTI ID:
- 21301393
- Journal Information:
- Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 709; ISSN 2041-8205
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
POSSIBLE EVIDENCE OF ALFVEN-CYCLOTRON WAVES IN THE ANGLE DISTRIBUTION OF MAGNETIC HELICITY OF SOLAR WIND TURBULENCE
MAGNETIC HELICITY IN THE DISSIPATION RANGE OF STRONG IMBALANCED TURBULENCE
DO OBLIQUE ALFVEN/ION-CYCLOTRON OR FAST-MODE/WHISTLER WAVES DOMINATE THE DISSIPATION OF SOLAR WIND TURBULENCE NEAR THE PROTON INERTIAL LENGTH?
Journal Article
·
Wed Apr 20 00:00:00 EDT 2011
· Astrophysical Journal
·
OSTI ID:21574719
MAGNETIC HELICITY IN THE DISSIPATION RANGE OF STRONG IMBALANCED TURBULENCE
Journal Article
·
Wed May 01 00:00:00 EDT 2013
· Astrophysical Journal
·
OSTI ID:22126819
DO OBLIQUE ALFVEN/ION-CYCLOTRON OR FAST-MODE/WHISTLER WAVES DOMINATE THE DISSIPATION OF SOLAR WIND TURBULENCE NEAR THE PROTON INERTIAL LENGTH?
Journal Article
·
Thu Jan 19 23:00:00 EST 2012
· Astrophysical Journal Letters
·
OSTI ID:22048092