Magnetohydrodynamic turbulent cascade of coronal loop magnetic fields
Abstract
The Parker model for coronal heating is investigated through a high resolution simulation. An inertial range is resolved where fluctuating magnetic energy EM(k⊥)∝k⊥-2.7 exceeds kinetic energy EK(k⊥)∝k⊥-0.6. Increments scale as δbℓ≃ℓ-0.85andδuℓ≃ℓ+0.2 with velocity increasing at small scales, indicating that magnetic reconnection plays a prime role in this turbulent system. We show that spectral energy transport is akin to standard magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence even for a system of reconnecting current sheets sustained by the boundary. In this new MHD turbulent cascade, kinetic energy flows are negligible while cross-field flows are enhanced, and through a series of “reflections” between the two fields, cascade more than half of the total spectral energy flow.
- Publication:
-
Physical Review E
- Pub Date:
- June 2011
- DOI:
- 10.1103/PhysRevE.83.065401
- arXiv:
- arXiv:1005.1640
- Bibcode:
- 2011PhRvE..83f5401R
- Keywords:
-
- 52.35.Ra;
- 47.27.Ak;
- 47.27.ek;
- 96.60.pf;
- Plasma turbulence;
- Fundamentals;
- Direct numerical simulations;
- Coronal loops streamers;
- Astrophysics - Solar and Stellar Astrophysics;
- Astrophysics - Earth and Planetary Astrophysics;
- Physics - Plasma Physics
- E-Print:
- 5 pages, 5 figures, to appear in Physical Review E - Rapid. Comm