Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

IDENTIFICATION OF KINETIC ALFVEN WAVE TURBULENCE IN THE SOLAR WIND

Journal Article · · Astrophysical Journal Letters
; ; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720 (United States)
The nature of small-scale turbulent fluctuations in the solar wind is investigated using a comparison of Cluster magnetic and electric field measurements to predictions arising from models consisting of either kinetic Alfven waves or whistler waves. The electric and magnetic field properties of these waves from linear theory are used to construct spacecraft-frame frequency spectra of (|{delta}E|/|{delta}B|){sub s/c} and (|{delta}B{sub ||}|/|{delta}B|){sub s/c}, allowing for a direct comparison to spacecraft data. The measured properties of the small-scale turbulent fluctuations, found to be inconsistent with the whistler wave model, agree well with the prediction of a spectrum of kinetic Alfven waves with nearly perpendicular wavevectors.
OSTI ID:
22048089
Journal Information:
Astrophysical Journal Letters, Journal Name: Astrophysical Journal Letters Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 745; ISSN 2041-8205
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

KINETIC PLASMA TURBULENCE IN THE FAST SOLAR WIND MEASURED BY CLUSTER
Journal Article · Mon May 20 00:00:00 EDT 2013 · Astrophysical Journal · OSTI ID:22126594

THE SLOW-MODE NATURE OF COMPRESSIBLE WAVE POWER IN SOLAR WIND TURBULENCE
Journal Article · Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 EDT 2012 · Astrophysical Journal Letters · OSTI ID:22047707

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