Evidence of local generation of Alfvenic turbulence in the solar wind

Journal Article · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1989 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA094iA09p11977· OSTI ID:5247195

Bavassano, B; Bruno, R ^[1]

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1. Istituto di Fisica dello Spazio Interplanetario, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Frascati, Italy (IT)

Recent papers suggested that solar wind regions with low Alfvenic-type correlation have to be related to local generation of Alfven waves with opposite sense of propagation. Stream shears were proposed as local sources of fluctuations through the development of a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. We show that a decrease of the Alfvenic correlation can be accompanied by the appearance of strong compressive fluctiations. In these cases the low Alfvenic correlation should be related not to a superposition of Alfven modes with mixed propagation but rather to a lack in Alfvenicity of the fluctuations themselves, due to the presence of other kinds of perturbations of structures in the solar wind. Conversely, when incompressibility is reasonably well satisfied, we are able to gain convincing evidence of an Alfven wave generation in a velocity shear region. {copyright} American Geophysical Union 1989

• OSTI ID: 5247195
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA) Vol. 94:A9; ISSN 0148-0227; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ALFVEN WAVES
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
INSTABILITY
PLASMA INSTABILITY
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
TURBULENCE
WAVE PROPAGATION