Turbulent Cascade and Energy Transfer Rate in a Solar Coronal Mass Ejection

Turbulence properties are examined before, during, and after a coronal mass ejection (CME) detected by the Wind spacecraft in 2012 July. The power-law scaling of the structure functions, providing information on the power spectral density and flatness of the velocity, magnetic field, and density fluctuations, were examined. The third-order moment scaling law for incompressible, isotropic magnetohydrodynamic turbulence was observed in the preceding and trailing solar wind, as well as in the CME sheath and magnetic cloud. This suggests that the turbulence could develop sufficiently after the shock, or that turbulence in the sheath and cloud regions was robustly preserved even during the mixing with the solar wind plasma. The turbulent energy transfer rate was thus evaluated in each of the regions. The CME sheath shows an increase of energy transfer rate, as expected from the lower level of Alfvenic fluctuations and suggesting the role of the shock-wind interaction as an additional source of energy for the turbulent cascade.

Automated summary

Turbulence properties before, during, and after a coronal mass ejection (CME) detected by the Wind spacecraft in July 2012 were examined, revealing differences in turbulence characteristics and turbulent energy transfer rates in different regions.