Filamentation instability of magnetosonic waves in the solar wind environment

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

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA094iA10p13387· OSTI ID:5919217

Kuo, S P ^[1]; Lee, M C ^[2]

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1. Polytechnic Univ., Farmingdale, NY (USA)
2. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge (USA)

Intense magnetosonic waves, originally propagating at the right angle with the interplanetary magnetic field, can excite a purely growing mode along the interplanetary magnetic field together with two symmetric magnetosonic sidebands propagating obliquely across the magnetic field. This instability process leads to the filamentation of the magnetosonic pump waves. These two excited magnetosonic sideband modes propagate together perpendicularly across the magnetic field and, meanwhile, form a standing wave pattern along the magnetic field. The thresholds of this filamentation instability can be exceeded in the solar wind environment. It is predicted that the density fluctuations produced by the filamentation instability along the interplanetary magnetic field have wavelengths greater than, at least, a few Earth radii. The polarization of the obliquely propagating magnetosonic waves excited by the filamentation instability is determined by the characteristics of the magnetosonic pump waves and the environmental plasmas.

• OSTI ID: 5919217
• Journal Information: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Geophysical Research; (USA) Vol. 94:A10; 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
DECAY INSTABILITY
ENVIRONMENT
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
INSTABILITY
INTERPLANETARY MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOACOUSTIC WAVES
PARAMETRIC INSTABILITIES
PLASMA DENSITY
PLASMA INSTABILITY
PLASMA MACROINSTABILITIES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
WAVE PROPAGATION