Journal
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume 832, Issue 2, Pages -Publisher
IOP PUBLISHING LTD
DOI: 10.3847/2041-8205/832/2/L20
Keywords
solar wind; turbulence; waves
Categories
Funding
- Belgian Science Policy Office (through Prodex/Cluster) [PEA 90316]
- Belgian Science Policy Office (through IAP Programme) [P7/08 CHARM]
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Alfvenic turbulence in space is usually imbalanced: amplitudes of waves propagating parallel and anti-parallel to the mean magnetic field B-0 are unequal. It is commonly accepted that the turbulence is driven by (counter-) collisions between these counter-propagating wave fractions. Contrary to this, we found a new ion-scale dynamical range of the turbulence established by (co-)collisions among waves co-propagating in the same direction along B-0. Co-collisions become stronger than counter-collisions and produce steep non-universal spectra above certain wavenumbers dependent on the imbalance. Spectral indexes of the strong turbulence vary around greater than or similar to -3, such that steeper spectra follow larger imbalances. Intermittency steepens the -3 spectra further, up to -3.7. Our theoretical predictions are compatible with steep variable spectra observed in the solar wind at ion kinetic scales, but further verifications are needed by correlating observed spectra with measured imbalances.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available