scholarly journals Three-Dimensional Anisotropy and Scaling Properties of Solar Wind Turbulence at Kinetic Scales in the Inner Heliosphere: Parker Solar Probe Observations

2022 ◽  
Vol 924 (2) ◽  
pp. L21
Author(s):  
J. Zhang ◽  
S. Y. Huang ◽  
J. S. He ◽  
T. Y. Wang ◽  
Z. G. Yuan ◽  
...  

Abstract We utilize the data from the Parker Solar Probe mission at its first perihelion to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) anisotropies and scalings of solar wind turbulence for the total, perpendicular, and parallel magnetic-field fluctuations at kinetic scales in the inner heliosphere. By calculating the five-point second-order structure functions, we find that the three characteristic lengths of turbulence eddies for the total and the perpendicular magnetic-field fluctuations in the local reference frame ( L ˆ ⊥ , l ˆ ⊥ , l ˆ ∣ ∣ ) defined with respect to the local mean magnetic field B local feature as l ∣∣ > L ⊥ > l ⊥ in both the transition range and the ion-to-electron scales, but l ∣∣ > L ⊥ ≈ l ⊥ for the parallel magnetic-field fluctuations. For the total magnetic-field fluctuations, the wave-vector anisotropy scalings are characterized by l ∣ ∣ ∝ l ⊥ 0.78 and L ⊥ ∝ l ⊥ 1.02 in the transition range, and they feature as l ∣ ∣ ∝ l ⊥ 0.44 and L ⊥ ∝ l ⊥ 0.73 in the ion-to-electron scales. Still, we need more complete kinetic-scale turbulence models to explain all these observational results.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ying Wang ◽  
Jiansen He ◽  
Die Duan ◽  
Xingyu Zhu

<p>By analyzing the turbulent magnetic field data from PSP, we find that: the solar wind turbulence in the inner heliosphere close to the Sun has formed the transition from multifractal intermittency at MHD scales to monofractal intermittency at kinetic scales. The order-dependent scaling exponent of the multi-order structure function shows a concave profile indicating the multifractal property at MHD scales, while its counterpart at kinetic scales shows a linear trend suggesting the monofractal property. We also find that, the closer to the sun, the more obvious the concave profile of the scaling exponent in the inertial range, which indicates that the multifractal characteristic of the magnetic field turbulence intermittency is also more evident when getting closer to the Sun.</p><p>Based on the Castaing description of the probability distribution function(PDF) of the disturbance difference, the key parameters(μ & λ^2) of the Castaing function are estimated as a function of scale. We find that: (1) when close to the sun (R~0.17 AU), the break point of μ is about 0.2 second, and the peak point of λ^2 is about 0.6 second, the two of which are about three times different in scale; (2) when far from the sun (R~0.8 AU), the break point of μ is about 1 second and the peak point of λ^2 is about 3 seconds, the two of which are also about three times different in scale. We also point out that the profiles (including the break/peak position) of both the parameters (μ & λ^2) along with the scale together determine the profile (including the spectral breaks) of the power spectrum.</p><p>Following the PP98 model function of incompressible MHD turbulent cascade rate (εZ), we first compared the cascade rate εZ with εB=<δB^3>/τ at the distance close to the sun, we find that the two trends over scales are in good agreement with one another. We therefore suggest that, to some extent (e.g. in the inertial region), εB=<δB^3>/τ can be used as a proxy of the cascade rate εZ. For the first time, by statistical analysis, we obtained that εB satisfies the following relation with the scale and the heliocentric distance: εB=((τ/τ0)^α)((r/r0)^β). In the inertial range, α changes from about -0.5 to about 0.5 as r increases from 0.17 AU to 0.81 AU, and β is about 6.4; in the kenetic range, when r increases from 0.17 AU to 0.25 AU, α keeps at about 2, and β is about 12.8. The εB(τ,r) expression given in this work, is believed to help understanding the transport and cascade processes of solar wind turbulence in the inner heliosphere. </p><p>Corresponding author:<br>Jiansen HE, [email protected]</p><p>Acknowledgements:<br>We would like to thank the PSP team for providing the data of PSP to the public.</p>


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepali Deepali ◽  
Supratik Banerjee

<p>We study the variation of average powers and spectral indices of electric field fluctuations with respect to the angle between average flow direction and the mean magnetic field in solar wind turbulence. Cluster spacecraft data from the years 2002 and 2007 are used for the present analysis. We perform a scale dependent study with respect to the local mean magnetic field using wavelet analysis technique. Prominent anisotropies are found for both the spectral index and power levels of the electric power spectra. Similar to the magnetic field fluctuations, the parallel (or antiparallel) electric fluctuation spectrum is found to be steeper than the perpendicular spectrum. However the parallel (or antiparallel) electric power is found to be greater than the perpendicular one. Below 0.1 Hz, the slope of the parallel electric power spectra deviates substantially from that of the total magnetic power spectra, supporting the existence of Alfvénic turbulence.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 909 (1) ◽  
pp. L7
Author(s):  
S. Y. Huang ◽  
F. Sahraoui ◽  
N. Andrés ◽  
L. Z. Hadid ◽  
Z. G. Yuan ◽  
...  

2011 ◽  
Vol 29 (10) ◽  
pp. 1731-1738 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. Narita ◽  
K.-H. Glassmeier ◽  
M. L. Goldstein ◽  
U. Motschmann ◽  
F. Sahraoui

Abstract. Using the four Cluster spacecraft, we have determined the three-dimensional wave-vector spectra of fluctuating magnetic fields in the solar wind. Three different solar wind intervals of Cluster data are investigated for this purpose, representing three different spatial scales: 10 000 km, 1000 km, and 100 km. The spectra are determined using the wave telescope technique (k-filtering technique) without assuming the validity of Taylor's frozen-in-flow hypothesis nor are any assumptions made as to the symmetry properties of the fluctuations. We find that the spectra are anisotropic on all the three scales and the power is extended primarily in the directions perpendicular to the mean magnetic field, as might be expected of two-dimensional turbulence, however, the analyzed fluctuations are not axisymmetric. The lack of axisymmetry invalidates some earlier techniques using single spacecraft observations that were used to estimate the percentage of magnetic energy residing in quasi-two-dimensional power. However, the dominance of two-dimensional turbulence is consistent with the relatively long mean free paths of cosmic rays in observed in the heliosphere. On the other hand, the spectra also exhibit secondary extended structures oblique from the mean magnetic field direction. We discuss possible origins of anisotropy and asymmetry of solar wind turbulence spectra.


2018 ◽  
Vol 613 ◽  
pp. A10 ◽  
Author(s):  
Y. G. Maneva ◽  
S. Poedts

The power spectra of magnetic field fluctuations in the solar wind typically follow a power-law dependence with respect to the observed frequencies and wave-numbers. The background magnetic field often influences the plasma properties, setting a preferential direction for plasma heating and acceleration. At the same time the evolution of the solar-wind turbulence at the ion and electron scales is influenced by the plasma properties through local micro-instabilities and wave-particle interactions. The solar-wind-plasma temperature and the solar-wind turbulence at sub- and sup-ion scales simultaneously show anisotropic features, with different components and fluctuation power in parallel with and perpendicular to the orientation of the background magnetic field. The ratio between the power of the magnetic field fluctuations in parallel and perpendicular direction at the ion scales may vary with the heliospheric distance and depends on various parameters, including the local wave properties and nonthermal plasma features, such as temperature anisotropies and relative drift speeds. In this work we have performed two-and-a-half-dimensional hybrid simulations to study the generation and evolution of anisotropic turbulence in a drifting multi-ion species plasma. We investigate the evolution of the turbulent spectral slopes along and across the background magnetic field for the cases of initially isotropic and anisotropic turbulence. Finally, we show the effect of the various turbulent spectra for the local ion heating in the solar wind.


2009 ◽  
Vol 114 (A1) ◽  
pp. n/a-n/a ◽  
Author(s):  
J. J. Podesta ◽  
B. D. G. Chandran ◽  
A. Bhattacharjee ◽  
D. A. Roberts ◽  
M. L. Goldstein

2020 ◽  
Vol 246 (2) ◽  
pp. 53 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. H. K. Chen ◽  
S. D. Bale ◽  
J. W. Bonnell ◽  
D. Borovikov ◽  
T. A. Bowen ◽  
...  

2012 ◽  
Vol 758 (2) ◽  
pp. 120 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. H. K. Chen ◽  
A. Mallet ◽  
A. A. Schekochihin ◽  
T. S. Horbury ◽  
R. T. Wicks ◽  
...  

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