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arXiv · 0901.3867

Scale dependent alignment between velocity and magnetic field fluctuations in the solar wind and comparisons to Boldyrev's phenomenological theory

J. J. Podesta·A. Bhattacharjee·B. D. G. Chandran·M. L. Goldstein·D. A. Roberts
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Abstract

(Abridged abstract) A theory of incompressible MHD turbulence recently developed by Boldyrev predicts the existence of a scale dependent angle of alignment between velocity and magnetic field fluctuations that is proportional to the lengthscale of the fluctuations to the power 1/4. In this study, plasma and magnetic field data from the Wind spacecraft are used to investigate the angle between velocity and magnetic field fluctuations in the solar wind as a function of the timescale of the fluctuations and to look for the power law scaling predicted by Boldyrev.

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J. J. Podesta, A. Bhattacharjee, B. D. G. Chandran, M. L. Goldstein, D. A. Roberts. 2009-02-07. Scale dependent alignment between velocity and magnetic field fluctuations in the solar wind and comparisons to Boldyrev's phenomenological theory. https://doi.org/10.1063/1.2982489

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