Wavenumber spectrum of whistler turbulence: Particle-in-cell simulation

Journal Article · Wed Dec 15 04:00:00 EST 2010 · Physics of Plasmas

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.3526602· OSTI ID:21532084

Saito, S ^[1]; Gary, S Peter ^[2]; Narita, Y ^[3]

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1. Solar-Terrestrial Environment Laboratory, Nagoya University, Nagoya 464-8601 (Japan)
2. Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, New Mexico 87545 (United States)
3. Institut fuer Geophysik und extraterrestrische Physik, Technische Universitaet Braunschweig, Mendelssohnstr. 3, D-38106 Braunschweig (Germany)

The forward cascade of decaying whistler turbulence is studied in low beta plasma to understand essential properties of the energy spectrum at electron scales, by using a two-dimensional electromagnetic particle-in-cell (PIC) simulation. This simulation demonstrates turbulence in which the energy cascade rate is greater than the dissipation rate at the electron inertial length. The PIC simulation shows that the magnetic energy spectrum of forward-cascaded whistler turbulence at electron inertial scales is anisotropic and develops a very steep power-law spectrum which is consistent with recent solar wind observations. A comparison of the simulated spectrum with that predicted by a phenomenological turbulence scaling model suggests that the energy cascade at the electron inertial scale depends on both magnetic fluctuations and electron velocity fluctuations, as well as on the whistler dispersion relation. Thus, not only kinetic Alfven turbulence but also whistler turbulence may explain recent solar wind observations of very steep magnetic spectra at short scales.

• OSTI ID: 21532084
• Journal Information: Physics of Plasmas, Journal Name: Physics of Plasmas Journal Issue: 12 Vol. 17; ISSN PHPAEN; ISSN 1070-664X
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY
CHARGED-PARTICLE TRANSPORT
DISPERSION RELATIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
ELECTRONS
ELEMENTARY PARTICLES
ENERGY SPECTRA
FERMIONS
FLUCTUATIONS
LEPTONS
LOW-BETA PLASMA
NOISE
PLASMA
PLASMA SIMULATION
RADIATION TRANSPORT
RADIATIONS
RADIO NOISE
RADIOWAVE RADIATION
SCALING
SIMULATION
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
SPECTRA
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR WINDS
TURBULENCE
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
VARIATIONS
VELOCITY
WHISTLERS