Perpendicular Proton Heating due to Energy Cascade of Fast Magnetosonic Waves in a Low-Beta Plasma
Abstract
We present hybrid simulations of the energy cascade among fast waves in the vicinity of the proton inertial scale. The plasma beta is set to low values typical of the solar corona. The cascade proceeds in the wavenumber space mostly the direction across the mean magnetic field. The highly oblique fast waves can be efficiently dissipated on the protons by several mechanisms. The resulting proton heating is preferentially perpendicular to the magnetic field. If the wave intensity is constrained by the observed density spectra in the corona, the heating is fast enough to generate the solar wind.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2009
- Bibcode:
- 2009AGUFMSH53A1293M
- Keywords:
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- 2149 INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS / MHD waves and turbulence;
- 2159 INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS / Plasma waves and turbulence;
- 2164 INTERPLANETARY PHYSICS / Solar wind plasma;
- 7511 SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY / Coronal holes