scholarly journals Dependence of the polytropic index of plasma on magnetic field

Author(s):  
June Young Kim ◽  
Geunwoo Go ◽  
Y S Hwang ◽  
Kyoung-Jae Chung
1996 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 510-517 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Bavassano ◽  
R. Bruno ◽  
H. Rosenbauer

Abstract. Magnetohydrodynamic compressive fluctuations of the interplanetary plasma in the region from 0.3 to 1 AU have been characterized in terms of their polytropic index. Following Chandrasekhar's approach to polytropic fluids, this index has been determined through a fit of the observed variations of density and temperature. At least three different classes of fluctuations have been identified: (1) variations at constant thermal pressure, in low-speed solar wind and without a significant dependence on distance, (2) adiabatic variations, mainly close to 1 AU and without a relevant dependence on wind speed, and (3) variations at nearly constant density, in fast wind close to 0.3 AU. Variations at constant thermal pressure are probably a subset of the ensemble of total-pressure balanced structures, corresponding to cases in which the magnetic field magnitude does not vary appreciably throughout the structure. In this case the pressure equilibrium has to be assured by its thermal component only. The variations may be related to small flow-tubes with approximately the same magnetic-field intensity, convected by the wind in conditions of pressure equilibrium. This feature is mainly observed in low-velocity solar wind, in agreement with the magnetic topology (small open flow-tubes emerging through an ensemble of closed structures) expected for the source region of slow wind. Variations of adiabatic type may be related to magnetosonic waves excited by pressure imbalances between contiguous flow-tubes. Such imbalances are probably built up by interactions between wind flows with different speeds in the spiral geometry induced by the solar rotation. This may account for the fact that they are mainly found at a large distance from the sun. Temperature variations at almost constant density are mostly found in fast flows close to the sun. These are the solar wind regions with the best examples of incompressible behaviour. They are characterized by very stable values for particle density and magnetic intensity, and by fluctuations of Alfvénic type. It is likely that temperature fluctuations in these regions are a remnant of thermal features in the low solar atmosphere. In conclusion, the polytropic index appears to be a useful tool to understand the nature of the compressive turbulence in the interplanetary plasma, as far as the frozen-in magnetic field does not play a crucial role.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 4643
Author(s):  
Georgios Nicolaou ◽  
George Livadiotis ◽  
Mihir I. Desai

The Bernoulli integral describes the energy conservation of a fluid along specific streamlines. The integral is the sum of individual terms that contain the plasma density, speed, temperature, and magnetic field. Typical solar wind analyses use the fluctuations of the Bernoulli integral as a criterion to identify different plasma streamlines from single spacecraft observations. However, the accurate calculation of the Bernoulli integral requires accurately determining the plasma polytropic index from the analysis of density and temperature observations. To avoid this complexity, we can simplify the calculations by keeping only the dominant terms of the integral. Here, we analyze proton plasma and magnetic field observations obtained by the Wind spacecraft at 1 au, during 1995. We calculate the Bernoulli integral terms and quantify their significance by comparing them with each other. We discuss potential simplifications of the calculations in the context of determining solar wind proton thermodynamics using single spacecraft observations.


1967 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 381-383
Author(s):  
J. M. Greenberg

Van de Hulst (Paper 64, Table 1) has marked optical polarization as a questionable or marginal source of information concerning magnetic field strengths. Rather than arguing about this–I should rate this method asq+-, or quarrelling about the term ‘model-sensitive results’, I wish to stress the historical point that as recently as two years ago there were still some who questioned that optical polarization was definitely due to magnetically-oriented interstellar particles.


1967 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 375-380
Author(s):  
H. C. van de Hulst

Various methods of observing the galactic magnetic field are reviewed, and their results summarized. There is fair agreement about the direction of the magnetic field in the solar neighbourhood:l= 50° to 80°; the strength of the field in the disk is of the order of 10-5gauss.


1967 ◽  
Vol 31 ◽  
pp. 355-356
Author(s):  
R. D. Davies

Observations at various frequencies between 136 and 1400 MHz indicate a considerable amount of structure in the galactic disk. This result appears consistent both with measured polarization percentages and with considerations of the strength of the galactic magnetic field.


1994 ◽  
Vol 144 ◽  
pp. 559-564
Author(s):  
P. Ambrož ◽  
J. Sýkora

AbstractWe were successful in observing the solar corona during five solar eclipses (1973-1991). For the eclipse days the coronal magnetic field was calculated by extrapolation from the photosphere. Comparison of the observed and calculated coronal structures is carried out and some peculiarities of this comparison, related to the different phases of the solar cycle, are presented.


1994 ◽  
Vol 144 ◽  
pp. 339-342
Author(s):  
V. N. Dermendjiev ◽  
Z. Mouradian ◽  
J.- L. Leroy ◽  
P. Duchlev

AbstractThe relation between episodically observed in the solar corona faint Hαemission structures and the long lived prominences was studied. Particular consideration was given for cases in which the corresponding prominences had undergone DB process. An MHD interpretation of the phenomenon “emissions froides” (cool emission) is proposed in which an essential role plays the prominence supporting magnetic field.


1994 ◽  
Vol 144 ◽  
pp. 29-33
Author(s):  
P. Ambrož

AbstractThe large-scale coronal structures observed during the sporadically visible solar eclipses were compared with the numerically extrapolated field-line structures of coronal magnetic field. A characteristic relationship between the observed structures of coronal plasma and the magnetic field line configurations was determined. The long-term evolution of large scale coronal structures inferred from photospheric magnetic observations in the course of 11- and 22-year solar cycles is described.Some known parameters, such as the source surface radius, or coronal rotation rate are discussed and actually interpreted. A relation between the large-scale photospheric magnetic field evolution and the coronal structure rearrangement is demonstrated.


1994 ◽  
Vol 144 ◽  
pp. 21-28 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. B. Gelfreikh

AbstractA review of methods of measuring magnetic fields in the solar corona using spectral-polarization observations at microwaves with high spatial resolution is presented. The methods are based on the theory of thermal bremsstrahlung, thermal cyclotron emission, propagation of radio waves in quasi-transverse magnetic field and Faraday rotation of the plane of polarization. The most explicit program of measurements of magnetic fields in the atmosphere of solar active regions has been carried out using radio observations performed on the large reflector radio telescope of the Russian Academy of Sciences — RATAN-600. This proved possible due to good wavelength coverage, multichannel spectrographs observations and high sensitivity to polarization of the instrument. Besides direct measurements of the strength of the magnetic fields in some cases the peculiar parameters of radio sources, such as very steep spectra and high brightness temperatures provide some information on a very complicated local structure of the coronal magnetic field. Of special interest are the results found from combined RATAN-600 and large antennas of aperture synthesis (VLA and WSRT), the latter giving more detailed information on twodimensional structure of radio sources. The bulk of the data obtained allows us to investigate themagnetospheresof the solar active regions as the space in the solar corona where the structures and physical processes are controlled both by the photospheric/underphotospheric currents and surrounding “quiet” corona.


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