On Alfvenic Slow Wind: A Journey From the Earth Back to the Sun

Comparative studies of fast and slow solar wind streams performed over the past decades have illustrated several differences between the plasma regimes for these different flows, examples including features such as temperatures, particle distribution function anisotropies, and the nature of the embedded turbulence, specifically the Alfvenicity of the fluctuations. Though this two-state classification of the solar wind primarily based on flow speed has been widely adopted, more in depth studies have found that slow solar wind should be further categorized, flow speed not being a sufficient descriptor of the plasma state. Within this framework, slow solar wind streams with a strong Alfvenic character have been identified and characterized, showing that in many ways they resemble fast solar wind. The similarities between fast and slow Alfvenic wind regimes have been explained in terms of a similar solar origin, with the latter corresponding to slow winds emanating from rapidly diverging low-latitude small coronal holes. The aim of this review is to describe the state of art of our understanding of Alfvenic slow solar wind streams. The results presented cover observations performed at different heliocentric distances spanning from Wind at L1 to Helios and Parker Solar Probe in the inner heliosphere, as well as a discussion of their source regions.

Automated summary

Comparative studies have shown differences between fast and slow solar wind streams, but slow solar wind with Alfvenic characteristics can be similar to fast solar wind. Flow speed alone is not enough to describe the plasma state of solar wind.