Effects of Density Fluctuations on acceleration and energization of Alfven Wave Turbulence in the fast Solar Wind
Abstract
We present a study of density fluctuations in coronal holes. We used a reduced magnetohydrodynamic (RMHD) model incorporating observationally constrained density fluctuations. We determined whether density fluctuations can enhance Alfven wave reflection and dissipation, thereby heating coronal holes and driving the fast solar wind. We show results for two models of the background atmosphere. In the first model, the plasma density and Alfven speed were varied smoothly with height. The wave reflection was relatively weak, resulting in a low energy dissipation rate. In the second model, we included additional density fluctuations along the open field based on observations. The latter model showed that density fluctuations increase Alfven wave turbulence to levels sufficient to heat and accelerate the solar wind.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2020
- Bibcode:
- 2020AGUFMSH032..03A
- Keywords:
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- 2164 Solar wind plasma;
- INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS;
- 2169 Solar wind sources;
- INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS;
- 7509 Corona;
- SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY;
- 7524 Magnetic fields;
- SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY