Wave mixing of magnetohydrodynamic waves

Journal Article · Tue Jun 01 04:00:00 EDT 1999 · AIP Conference Proceedings

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1063/1.58836· OSTI ID:679155

Webb, G M; Zakharian, A ^[1]; Zank, G P ^[2]

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1. Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of Arizona, Tuscon, Arizona 85721 (United States)
2. Bartol Research Institute, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716 (United States)

A formalism for magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave interactions in one Cartesian space dimension is developed using multiple scales perturbation methods. In particular, wave mixing equations describing the mutual interaction of Alfv{acute e}n, magnetoacoustic, and entropy waves due to large scale gradients in the background flow are obtained. The waves are assumed to propagate along the {ital x}-axis of a rectangular, Cartesian coordinate system OXYZ, and the background flow depends on {ital x} and time {ital t}. Equations are obtained for both the strictly hyperbolic case, where all the wave speeds are distinct, and also for the degenerate eigenvalue cases {bold k}{parallel}{bold B} and {bold k}{perpendicular}{bold B}, where {bold k} is the wave vector, and {bold B} is the background magnetic field induction. The Alfv{acute e}n waves are modified by their interaction with the magnetoacoustic and entropy waves due to wave mixing, only if the background flow has non-zero field aligned vorticity ({bold B}{center_dot}{nabla}{times}{bold u}{ne}0) and/or non-zero field aligned electric current ({bold B}{center_dot}{nabla}{times}{bold B}{ne}0). The relation of these equations to the well known wave mixing equations for Alfv{acute e}n waves, and Alfv{acute e}nic turbulence in the Solar Wind, and equations for the wave mixing of sound waves and entropy waves in gas dynamics are discussed. {copyright} {ital 1999 American Institute of Physics.}

• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• OSTI ID: 679155
• Report Number(s): CONF-9810104--
• Journal Information: AIP Conference Proceedings, Journal Name: AIP Conference Proceedings Journal Issue: 1 Vol. 471; ISSN 0094-243X; ISSN APCPCS
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

66 PHYSICS
ENTROPY
HYDROMAGNETIC WAVES
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETOHYDRODYNAMICS
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
SOLAR WIND
SOUND WAVES
TURBULENCE
WAVE PROPAGATION