Solar wind stream interactions and interplanetary heat conduction
Abstract
The compression of plasma in solar wind stream interaction regions (where a fast-moving stream overtakes slower-moving material) implies the existence of a heat source for solar wind electrons. The resulting electron thermal structure is largely determined by a balance between the rate of compressive heating in this ‘interaction region’ source and the rate of thermal conduction away from the region. Two different quantitative models of the thermal structure are derived under the common simplifying assumptions of a steady state, a negligible spatial extent for the heat source, and a radial magnetic field line geometry. The models employ contrasting assumptions about the heat conduction process; one is based upon a ‘classical’ thermal conductivity, and the other uses a ‘saturated’ heat conduction flux density. The predicted dependence of electron temperature increase on the characteristics of the stream interaction region is significantly different for the two cases. It is thus suggested that observations of electron temperatures in such regions could be used to examine the nature of the interplanetary heat conduction process.
- Publication:
-
Journal of Geophysical Research
- Pub Date:
- 1973
- DOI:
- 10.1029/JA078i034p07996
- Bibcode:
- 1973JGR....78.7996H
- Keywords:
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- Particles and Fields-Interplanetary Space: General or miscellaneous