Ion cyclotron dispersion relation in a proton-alpha solar wind

Journal Article · Sun Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1984 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JA089iA04p02133· OSTI ID:6663370

Isenberg, P A

Recent models of preferential acceleration and heating of heavy ions in the solar wind have invoked a resonant interaction with parallel-propagating ion cyclotron waves. However, these waves must have frequencies in the cold plasma stop band (..cap omega../sub a/<..omega..<..omega../sub c/) to acclerate alpha particles to speeds faster than the bulk plasma. Such waves cannot exist in a plasma containing cold alpha particles. We investigate solutions to the WKB warm plasma dispersion relation in a proton-alpha plasma to determine when parallel ion cyclotron waves can propagate at ..omega.. = ..cap omega../sub a/. We present examples of the behavior of the dispersion curves in this resonant regime for several type of plasma states appropriate to the fast solar wind. We find that ion cyclotron waves can propagate at ..omega.. = ..cap omega../sub a/ for a bounded set of plasma parameters. However, use of the correct dispersion relation is likely to make resonant cyclotron acceleration of solar wind alpha less feasible as a mechanism to produce the observed preferential effects.

• Research Organization: Space Science Center, University of New Hampshire
• OSTI ID: 6663370
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 89:A4; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics &amp; Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ACCELERATION
ALPHA PARTICLES
CHARGED PARTICLES
CYCLOTRON RESONANCE
DISPERSION RELATIONS
ION PLASMA WAVES
ION WAVES
PLASMA ACCELERATION
PLASMA WAVES
RESONANCE
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
WKB APPROXIMATION