Spectral signatures of jumps and turbulence in interplanetary speed and magnetic field data

Journal Article · Tue Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1987 · Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA092iA09p10105· OSTI ID:5674767

Roberts, D A; Goldstein, M L ^[1]

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1. NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD (United States)

The low-frequency power spectra of the magnitude of the magnetic and velocity fields in the solar wind frequently have a somewhat steeper than f{sup {minus}2} dependence, whereas the vector components of these quantities often have spectra characteristic of turbulence (f{sup {minus}5/3}) with a break to a flatter spectrum at lower frequencies. It is shown here that, consistent with a suggestion of Surlaga and Mish, the f{sup {minus}2} spectra in the magnitudes result from jumps due to various rapid changes in the time series for these quantities. If these jumps are removed from the data, the spectra of the resulting difference time series have the f{sup {minus}5/3} form. The authors conclude that f{sup {minus}2} spectra in the magnitudes of the magnetic field and velocity in the solar wind arise from phase coherent structures that can be distinguished clearly from incoherent turbulent fluctuations.

• OSTI ID: 5674767
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (United States), Vol. 92:A9; ISSN 0148-0227
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
SOLAR WIND
TURBULENCE
DATA ANALYSIS
FLUCTUATIONS
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
INTERPLANETARY SPACE
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
SHOCK WAVES
SPECTRA
TIME-SERIES ANALYSIS
VELOCITY
VOYAGER SPACE PROBES
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MATHEMATICS
MECHANICS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SPACE
SPACE VEHICLES
VARIATIONS
VEHICLES
661320* - Auroral
Ionospheric
& Magnetospheric Phenomena- (1992-)