Local Proton Heating at Magnetic Discontinuities in Alfvénic and Non-Alfvénic Solar Wind
We investigate the local proton energization at magnetic discontinuities/intermittent structures and the corresponding kinetic signatures in velocity phase space in Alfvénic (high cross helicity) and non-Alfvénic (low cross helicity) wind streams observed by Parker Solar Probe. By means of the parti...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2024-01-01
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| Series: | The Astrophysical Journal |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad1be5 |
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| author | C. A. González J. L. Verniero R. Bandyopadhyay A. Tenerani |
| author_facet | C. A. González J. L. Verniero R. Bandyopadhyay A. Tenerani |
| author_sort | C. A. González |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | We investigate the local proton energization at magnetic discontinuities/intermittent structures and the corresponding kinetic signatures in velocity phase space in Alfvénic (high cross helicity) and non-Alfvénic (low cross helicity) wind streams observed by Parker Solar Probe. By means of the partial variance of increments method, we find that the hottest proton populations are localized around compressible, coherent magnetic structures in both types of wind. Analysis of parallel and perpendicular temperature distributions suggest that the Alfvénic wind undergoes preferential enhancements of T _∥ at such structures, whereas the non-Alfvénic wind experiences preferential T _⊥ enhancements. Although proton beams are present in both types of wind, the proton velocity distribution function displays distinct features. Hot beams, i.e., beams with beam-to-core perpendicular temperature T _⊥, _b / T _⊥, _c up to three times larger than the total distribution anisotropy, are found in the non-Alfvénic wind, whereas colder beams are in the Alfvénic wind. Our data analysis is complemented by 2.5D hybrid simulations in different geometrical setups, which support the idea that proton beams in Alfvénic and non-Alfvénic wind have different kinetic properties and different origins. The development of a perpendicular nonlinear cascade, favored in balanced turbulence, allows a preferential relative enhancement of the perpendicular plasma temperature and the formation of hot beams. Cold field-aligned beams are instead favored by Alfvén wave steepening. Non-Maxwellian distribution functions are found near discontinuities and intermittent structures, pointing to the fact that the nonlinear formation of small-scale structures is intrinsically related to the development of highly nonthermal features in collisionless plasmas. Our results contribute to understanding the role of different coherent structures in proton energization and their implication in collisionless energy dissipation processes in space plasmas. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-25T02:14:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-601a5ef72d7d4d499b45629f851e2676 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1538-4357 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-25T02:14:55Z |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Astrophysical Journal |
| spelling | doaj.art-601a5ef72d7d4d499b45629f851e26762024-03-07T10:03:43ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572024-01-01963214810.3847/1538-4357/ad1be5Local Proton Heating at Magnetic Discontinuities in Alfvénic and Non-Alfvénic Solar WindC. A. González0https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7063-2511J. L. Verniero1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1138-652XR. Bandyopadhyay2https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6962-0959A. Tenerani3https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2880-6084Department of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX, USA ; carlos.gonzalez1@austin.utexas.eduCode 672, NASA , Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, MD 20771, USADepartment of Astrophysical Sciences , Princeton, NJ 08544, USADepartment of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin , Austin, TX, USA ; carlos.gonzalez1@austin.utexas.eduWe investigate the local proton energization at magnetic discontinuities/intermittent structures and the corresponding kinetic signatures in velocity phase space in Alfvénic (high cross helicity) and non-Alfvénic (low cross helicity) wind streams observed by Parker Solar Probe. By means of the partial variance of increments method, we find that the hottest proton populations are localized around compressible, coherent magnetic structures in both types of wind. Analysis of parallel and perpendicular temperature distributions suggest that the Alfvénic wind undergoes preferential enhancements of T _∥ at such structures, whereas the non-Alfvénic wind experiences preferential T _⊥ enhancements. Although proton beams are present in both types of wind, the proton velocity distribution function displays distinct features. Hot beams, i.e., beams with beam-to-core perpendicular temperature T _⊥, _b / T _⊥, _c up to three times larger than the total distribution anisotropy, are found in the non-Alfvénic wind, whereas colder beams are in the Alfvénic wind. Our data analysis is complemented by 2.5D hybrid simulations in different geometrical setups, which support the idea that proton beams in Alfvénic and non-Alfvénic wind have different kinetic properties and different origins. The development of a perpendicular nonlinear cascade, favored in balanced turbulence, allows a preferential relative enhancement of the perpendicular plasma temperature and the formation of hot beams. Cold field-aligned beams are instead favored by Alfvén wave steepening. Non-Maxwellian distribution functions are found near discontinuities and intermittent structures, pointing to the fact that the nonlinear formation of small-scale structures is intrinsically related to the development of highly nonthermal features in collisionless plasmas. Our results contribute to understanding the role of different coherent structures in proton energization and their implication in collisionless energy dissipation processes in space plasmas.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad1be5Solar windInterplanetary turbulenceAlfvén wavesInterplanetary discontinuities |
| spellingShingle | C. A. González J. L. Verniero R. Bandyopadhyay A. Tenerani Local Proton Heating at Magnetic Discontinuities in Alfvénic and Non-Alfvénic Solar Wind The Astrophysical Journal Solar wind Interplanetary turbulence Alfvén waves Interplanetary discontinuities |
| title | Local Proton Heating at Magnetic Discontinuities in Alfvénic and Non-Alfvénic Solar Wind |
| title_full | Local Proton Heating at Magnetic Discontinuities in Alfvénic and Non-Alfvénic Solar Wind |
| title_fullStr | Local Proton Heating at Magnetic Discontinuities in Alfvénic and Non-Alfvénic Solar Wind |
| title_full_unstemmed | Local Proton Heating at Magnetic Discontinuities in Alfvénic and Non-Alfvénic Solar Wind |
| title_short | Local Proton Heating at Magnetic Discontinuities in Alfvénic and Non-Alfvénic Solar Wind |
| title_sort | local proton heating at magnetic discontinuities in alfvenic and non alfvenic solar wind |
| topic | Solar wind Interplanetary turbulence Alfvén waves Interplanetary discontinuities |
| url | https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad1be5 |
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