An asymptotic analysis of the viscous two-fluid solar wind equations

Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1976 · Astrophys. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/154639· OSTI ID:7337263

Summers, D

The method of matched asymptotic expansions is used to analyze the asymptotic solutions of the two-fluid solar wind equations far from the Sun in a small viscosity limit. In effect, small viscous terms are superposed on the Lucas inviscid supersonic solutions characterized, for various solution pairs (..mu.., ..nu..), by the electron and ion temperatures varying like T/sub e/, T/sub i/proportionalr/sup -//sup mu/, r/sup -//sup nu/ as the heliocentric radius r..-->..infinity. In the r..-->..infinity, viscosity ..-->..0 limit, the (4/3,4/3) solution is found to be uniformly valid; the (2/5,4/5), (2/5,2/5), (14/25,2/5) solutions merge into viscous (2/3,2/3) -type supersonic solutions; the (2/7,2/5), (2/7,2/7), (2/5,2/7) solutions ultimately become subsonic through a diffuse shock, with an associated finite gas pressure at infinity; and the (2/7,6/7), (18/35,2/7) solutions merge into unphysical solutions, the ion and electron temperatures increasing without bound in the respective cases. It is suggested that further numerical work is required to determine which of the viscous supersonic solutions best fit solar wind observations. (AIP)

• Research Organization: Astronomy Centre, University of Sussex, England
• OSTI ID: 7337263
• Journal Information: Astrophys. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Astrophys. J.; (United States) Vol. 208:2; ISSN ASJOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ASYMPTOTIC SOLUTIONS
FLUID FLOW
FLUID MECHANICS
HYDRODYNAMICS
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MECHANICS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR WIND
STAR MODELS
VISCOSITY
VISCOUS FLOW