Proton Temperature Anisotropy vs Parallel Beta in the Solar Wind

  • Yoon, Peter H. (School of Space Research, Kyung Hee University)
  • 발행 : 2011.10.05

초록

In view of the planned NASA's and ESA's Solar Probe Plus and Solar Orbiter missions, respectively, to probe the inner heliosphere and the Sun's corona, it is timely to investigate outstanding problems associated with the solar wind. Among them is the temperature anisotropy problem. As the solar wind expands into the interplanetary space, the density and magnetic field decreases radially, thus leading to temperature anisotropy ($T_{\parallel}{\gg}T_{\perp}$). However, the measured temperature anisotropy can at times be characterized by $T_{\perp}$ > $T_{\parallel}$, while at other times the measured $T_{\parallel}/T_{\perp}$ is much milder than predicted by adiabatic theory. Physical reasons remain poorly understood. This notwithstanding, it is known from plasma physics that for $T_{\perp}$ > $T_{\parallel}$ electromagnetic ion-cyclotron (EMIC) and mirror instabilities are excited, while for $T_{\parallel}$ > $T_{\perp}$, fire-hose instability is excited. By constructing the threshold conditions for various instabilities, one may construct a closure relation that may be useful for modeling the solar wind. In the present paper we discuss theoretical construction of the anisotropy-beta relation by means of quasi-linear theories of these instabilities. The present work complements previous efforts on the basis of linear theory, hybrid simulations, and empirical fits of observations.

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