arXiv subjects

Sofiane Bourouaine

Publications and source records attributed to Sofiane Bourouaine.

22 records · Page 2Linked to original sources

arXiv2013

Observational Test of Stochastic Heating in Low-$β$ Fast Solar Wind Streams

Spacecraft measurements show that protons undergo substantial perpendicular heating during their transit from the Sun to the outer heliosphere. In this paper, we use {\em Helios~2} measurements to investigate whether stochastic heating by low-frequency turbulence is capable of explaining this perpendicular heating. We analyze {\em Helios~2} magnetic-field measurements in low-$β$ fast-solar-wind streams between heliocentric distances $r=0.29$ AU and $r=0.64$ AU to determine the rms amplitude of the fluctuating magnetic field, $δB_{\rm p}$, near the proton gyroradius scale $ρ_{\rm p}$. We then evaluate the stochastic heating rate $Q_{\perp \rm stoch}$ using the measured value of $δB_{\rm p}$ and a previously published analytical formula for $Q_{\perp \rm stoch}$. Using {\em Helios} measurements we estimate the `empirical' perpendicular heating rate $Q_{\perp \rm emp} = (k_{\rm B}/m_{\rm p}) B V (d/dr) (T_{\perp \rm p}/B)$ that is needed to explain the $T_{\perp \rm p}$ profile. We find that $Q_{\perp \rm stoch} \sim Q_{\perp \rm emp}$, but only if a key dimensionless constant appearing in the formula for $Q_{\perp \rm stoch}$ lies within a certain range of values. This range is approximately the same throughout the radial interval that we analyze and is consistent with the results of numerical simulations of the stochastic heating of test particles in reduced magnetohydrodynamic turbulence. These results support the hypothesis that stochastic heating accounts for much of the perpendicular proton heating occurring in low-$β$ fast-wind streams.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2013

Radial evolution of the wave-vector anisotropy of solar wind turbulence between 0.3 and 1 AU

We present observations of the power spectral anisotropy in wave-vector space of solar wind turbulence, and study how it evolves in interplanetary space with increasing heliocentric distance. For this purpose we use magnetic field measurements made by the Helios-2 spacecraft at three positions between 0.29 and 0.9 AU. To derive the power spectral density (PSD) in $(k_\parallel, k_\bot)$-space based on single-satellite measurements is a challenging task not yet accomplished previously. Here we derive the spectrum $\rm{PSD}_{\rm{2D}}$($\rm{k}_\parallel$, $\rm{k}_\bot$) from the spatial correlation function $\rm{CF}_{\rm{2D}}(r_\parallel, r_\bot)$ by a transformation according to the projection-slice theorem. We find the so constructed PSDs to be distributed in k-space mainly along a ridge that is more inclined toward the $\rm{k}_\bot$ than $\rm{k}_\parallel$ axis, a new result which probably indicates preferential cascading of turbulent energy along the $\rm{k}_\bot$ direction. Furthermore, this ridge of the distribution is found to gradually get closer to the $\rm{k}_\bot$ axis, as the outer scale length of the turbulence becomes larger while the solar wind flows further away from the Sun. In the vicinity of the $\rm{k}_\parallel$ axis, there appears a minor spectral component that probably corresponds to quasi-parallel Alfvénic fluctuations. Their relative contribution to the total spectral density tends to decrease with radial distance. These findings suggest that solar wind turbulence undergoes an anisotropic cascade transporting most of its magnetic energy towards larger $\rm{k}_\bot$, and that the anisotropy in the inertial range is radially developing further at scales that are relatively far from the ever increasing outer scale.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

On the interactions of transverse ion-cyclotron waves with ions in solar wind plasma

We show the evidence of ion-cyclotron dissipation mechanism in solar wind plasma using Helios data. From our statistical analysis we found that the wave power of high-frequency transverse waves (having frequencies between 0.01 and 1 normalized to the proton gyrofrequency in the plasma frame) correlates with both, the proton temperature anisotropy, $T_{\perp}/T_{\parallel}$, and the normalized differential speed, $V_{αp}/V_A$, between alpha particles and protons. Furthermore, when this speed stays below 0.5, then the alpha-particle temperature anisotropy correlate positively with the relative power of the transverse waves. However, if $V_{αp}/V_A$ is larger than 0.6, then the alpha-particle temperature anisotropy tends to decrease towards values below unity, despite the presence of transverse waves with relatively large amplitudes. For small relative wave amplitude, it is found that alpha particles can even be heated more strongly than protons when the alpha-to-electron density ratio nearly or below 0.01. Our findings are in good agreement with predictions of kinetic theory for the resonant interaction of ions with Alfvén-cyclotron waves and for the resulting wave dissipation. Also, the study suggests that the turbulence could lead to the generation of parallel Alfven cyclotron waves.

astro-ph.SR↗

arXiv2010

Correlations between the proton temperature anisotropy and transverse high-frequency waves in the solar wind

Correlations are studied between the power density of transverse waves having frequencies between $0.01$ and $1$ normalized to the proton gyrofrequency in the plasma frame and the ratio of the perpendicular and parallel temperature of the protons. The wave power spectrum is evaluated from high-resolution 3D magnetic field vector components, and the ion temperatures are derived from the velocity distribution functions as measured in fast solar wind during the Helios-2 primary mission at radial distances from the Sun between 0.3~AU and 0.9~AU. From our statistical analysis, we obtain a striking correlation between the increases in the proton temperature ratio and enhancements in the wave power spectrum. Near the Sun the transverse part of the wave power is often found to be by more than an order of magnitude higher than its longitudinal counterpart. Also the measured ion temperature anisotropy appears to be limited by the theoretical threshold value for the ion-cyclotron instability. This suggests that high-frequency Alfvén-cyclotron waves regulate the proton temperature anisotropy.

astro-ph.SR↗