Multi-Scale Plasma Turbulence in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium

I discuss how radioastronomical observations can provide information on the turbulence that governs the propagation of cosmic rays in the Galaxy. Interstellar radio wave propagation effects, collectively referred to as interstellar scintillations, yield information on the spatial power spectra of fluctuations in plasma density and magnetic field. Results of relevance to cosmic-ray physics are the existence of interstellar turbulence over a wide range of spatial scales (which can thus interact with a wide range of cosmic ray energies), the detection of magnetic field fluctuations in association with this turbulence, and a change in the nature of the turbulence on spatial scales of about 3.5 parsecs. A number of mysteries remain, such as the apparent suppression of Fast Magnetosonic wave generation by the interstellar turbulence.     

Solar Wind Turbulence and the Role of Ion Instabilities

Solar wind is probably the best laboratory to study turbulence in astrophysical plasmas. In addition to the presence of magnetic field, the differences with neutral fluid isotropic turbulence are: (i) weakness of collisional dissipation and (ii) presence of several characteristic space and time scales. In this paper we discuss observational properties of solar wind turbulence in a large range from the MHD to the electron scales. At MHD scales, within the inertial range, turbulence cascade of magnetic fluctuations develops mostly in the plane perpendicular to the mean field, with the Kolmogorov scaling $k_{\perp}^{-5/3}$ for the perpendicular cascade and $k_{\|}^{-2}$ for the parallel one. Solar wind turbulence is compressible in nature: density fluctuations at MHD scales have the Kolmogorov spectrum. Velocity fluctuations do not follow magnetic field ones: their spectrum is a power-law with a ?3/2 spectral index. Probability distribution functions of different plasma parameters are not Gaussian, indicating presence of intermittency. At the moment there is no global model taking into account all these observed properties of the inertial range. At ion scales, turbulent spectra have a break, compressibility increases and the density fluctuation spectrum has a local flattening. Around ion scales, magnetic spectra are variable and ion instabilities occur as a function of the local plasma parameters. Between ion and electron scales, a small scale turbulent cascade seems to be established. It is characterized by a well defined power-law spectrum in magnetic and density fluctuations with a spectral index close to ?2.8. Approaching electron scales, the fluctuations are no more self-similar: an exponential cut-off is usually observed (for time intervals without quasi-parallel whistlers) indicating an onset of dissipation. The small scale inertial range between ion and electron scales and the electron dissipation range can be together described by $\sim k_{\perp}^{-\alpha}\exp(-k_{\perp}\ell_{d})$ , with α?8/3 and the dissipation scale ? _d close to the electron Larmor radius ? _d ?ρ _e . The nature of this small scale cascade and a possible dissipation mechanism are still under debate.     

磁流体湍流中的结构和能量传输

磁流体湍流中存在多种相干结构,包括电流和涡旋结构。文章主要对近几年有关磁流体湍流相干结构及其相关的能量传输的一些工作进行了介绍。不同于中性流体湍流中的管状结构,磁流体中的相干结构多呈现为片状,强电流片附近也存在强涡片结构。磁流体湍流中的能量级串使能量跨尺度从大尺度传递至小尺度;与中性流体湍流能量传输主要集中在相近尺度上不同,磁流体湍流除了动能传输,还有磁能传输,以及动能与磁能之间的跨尺度互相转换。研究表明,磁流体湍流中的能量传输及耗散具有强间歇性,集中在较小区域范围,且与相干结构存在关联。在存在背景磁场的情况下,磁流体湍流中的相干结构在背景磁场方向上被拉长,而同样方向上的能量传输受到抑制。在高马赫数的情况下,激波的产生会使能量传输明显增强,同时带来很强的间歇性,结构函数标度律远远偏离线性标度关系,并且随着阶数的增加,标度指数会达到饱和值。     

Magnetic turbulence at the magnetopause, a key problem for understanding the solar wind/ magnetosphere exchanges

According to ideal MHD, the magnetopause boundary should split the terrestrial environment in two disconnected domains: outside, the solar wind (including its shocked part, the magnetosheath), and inside, the magnetosphere. This view is at variance with the experimental data, which show that the magnetopause is not tight and that a net transfer of matter exists from the solar wind to the magnetosphere; it implies that the frozen-in condition must break down on the magnetopause, either over the whole boundary or at some points. In the absence of ordinary collisions, only short scale phenomena (temporal and/or spatial) can be invoked to explain this breakdown, and the best candidates in this respect appear to be the ULF magnetic fluctuations which show very strong amplitudes in the vicinity of the magnetopause boundary. It has been shown that these fluctuations are likely to originate in the magnetosheath, probably downstream of the quasi-parallel shock region, and that they can get amplified by a propagation effect when crossing the magnetopause. When studying the propagation across the magnetopause boundary, several effects are to be taken into account simultaneously to get reliable results: the magnetopause density gradient, the temperature effects, and the magnetic field rotation can be introduced while remaining in the framework of ideal MHD. In these conditions, the magnetopause amplification has been interpreted in term of Alfvén and slow resonances occurring in the layer. When, in addition, one takes the ion inertia effects into account, by the way of the Hall-MHD equations, the result appears drastically different: no resonance occurs, but a strong Alfvén wave can be trapped in the boundary between the point where it is converted from the incident wave and the point where it stops propagating back, i.e., the point where k _\|=0, which can exist thanks to the magnetic field rotation. This effect can bring about a new interpretation to the magnetopause transfers, since the Hall effect can allow reconnection near this particular point. The plasma transfer through the magnetopause could then be interpreted in terms of a reconnection mechanism directly driven by the magnetosheath turbulence, which is permanent, rather than due to any local instability of the boundary, for instance of the tearing type, which should be subject to an instability threshold and thus, as far as it exists, more sporadic.     

Semi-empirical MHD Model of the Solar Wind and its Comparison with Ulysses

We have developed a 2D semi-empirical model (Sittler and Guhathakurta 1999) of the corona and the interplanetary medium using the time independent MHD equations and assuming azimuthal symmetry, utilizing the SOHO, Spartan and Ulysses observations. The model uses as inputs (1) an empirically derived global electron density distribution using LASCO, Mark III and Spartan white light observations and in situ observations of the Ulysses spacecraft, and (2) an empirical model of the coronal magnetic field topology using SOHO/LASCO and EIT observations. The model requires an estimate of solar wind velocity as a function of latitude at 1 AU and the radial component of the magnetic field at 1 AU, for which we use Ulysses plasma and magnetic field data results respectively. The model makes estimates as a function of radial distance and latitude of various fluid parameters of the plasma such as flow velocity V, temperature T_eff, and heat flux Q_eff which are derived from the equations of conservation of mass, momentum and energy, respectively, in the rotating frame of the Sun. The term "effective" indicates possible wave contributions. The model can be used as a planning tool for such missions as Solar Probe and provide an empirical framework for theoretical models of the solar corona and solar wind. This revised version was published online in June 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Turbulent transition in solar surges

It has been suggested that a surge can be modelled as a jet travelling in a sheared magnetic field, and that the transition to turbulence of this MHD tearing jet can explain several key observed features. In this paper we present our preliminary results of the transition to turbulencevia secondary instabilities of the MHD tearing jet. Our results confirm that turbulent transition can decelerate the surge, with decay times which compare well with surge data. Furthermore, we find that the turbulent MHD tearing jet forms magnetic field-aligned velocity filaments similar to those often observed in the surge flow field.     

Remote sensing of winds and atmospheric turbulence by cross-correlation of passive optical signals

This paper describes a new method for the remote measurement of winds and atmospheric turbulence by the cross-correlation of passive optical signals. If small local variations in atmospheric density, temperature or other parameter cause fluctuations in scattered or thermal radiation detected by a radiometer on the ground, then the cross-correlation of the fluctuations detected by two radiometers with crossed fields of view can yield turbulence information pertaining to the region about this intersection point. When the fields of view are not quite crossed turbulent eddies will be convected through the fields of view sequentially, and the transit times of the eddies identified by the correlation procedure will yield wind information.The successful application of this technique, detecting fluctuations in scattered sunlight, has demonstrated both the potential, and the present limitations of the method, which are discussed in this paper. Results for the power spectrum of the fluctuations and for winds at an altitude of 61 m are shown, and the wind measurements are compared to similar measurements made with a standard anemometer located on top of a 61 m tower.     

Notes on Magnetohydrodynamics of Magnetic Reconnection in Turbulent Media

Astrophysical fluids have very large Reynolds numbers and therefore turbulence is their natural state. Magnetic reconnection is an important process in many astrophysical plasmas, which allows restructuring of magnetic fields and conversion of stored magnetic energy into heat and kinetic energy. Turbulence is known to dramatically change different transport processes and therefore it is not unexpected that turbulence can alter the dynamics of magnetic field lines within the reconnection process. We shall review the interaction between turbulence and reconnection at different scales, showing how a state of turbulent reconnection is natural in astrophysical plasmas, with implications for a range of phenomena across astrophysics. We consider the process of magnetic reconnection that is fast in magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) limit and discuss how turbulence—both externally driven and generated in the reconnecting system—can make reconnection independent on the microphysical properties of plasmas. We will also show how relaxation theory can be used to calculate the energy dissipated in turbulent reconnecting fields. As well as heating the plasma, the energy dissipated by turbulent reconnection may cause acceleration of non-thermal particles, which is briefly discussed here.     

高超声速流动中噪声与湍流度的关系

在不可压缩流动中，湍流度对流动失稳与转捩的影响机制有很多研究成果，已发展了一些依据其大小预测流动转捩的模型应用于工程设计。但在高速可压缩流动中，湍流度很难测量，给该速域的流动转捩预测建模带来困难。近年来的研究表明，高速流场（马赫数≥3）中的噪声是影响流动转捩提前与推迟，甚至决定转捩途径的关键因素。但流场噪声与湍流度对流场的激励机制有没有内在联系，或流场噪声与湍流度理论上是否存在相互关联，迄今仍缺少理论分析结果。由于可压缩流场中噪声的测量相对容易，因此探讨流场噪声与湍流度之间的定量关系具有重要的理论意义和实用价值。讨论了Euler系统中各类双曲波特性，重点分析了流场声波中脉动压力与脉动速度的本质联系，从理论上得到了声压级与声致湍流度的关系。同时，为了对影响湍流度的因素有更全面的认识，导出了非声扰动与非声致湍流度的关系。为建立高速流动转捩预测模型和探讨天地一致性问题，奠定了一定的研究基础。     

MHD控制激波诱导湍流边界层分离的机理分析

为了研究磁流体动力学(Magnetohydrodynamics:MHD)加速边界层对激波-湍流边界层相互作用的影响,用高阶有限差分法求解了小磁雷诺数近似的MHD湍流方程。其中,无粘通量采用WENN格式离散、粘性通量采用Roe平均中心差分离散,时间采用半隐式推进,并采取追赶法求解。计算给出了湍流、电场、磁场和电导率等参数对边界层分离的影响,数值结果显示:在同样的逆压梯度下,湍流边界层分离能更快地趋于稳态流场,且分离区比层流小;通过施加洛仑兹力加速,边界层速度型面变得更加饱满、位移厚度减小、分离点和再附点向激波与固壁的交点靠近,分离区尺寸减小甚至最终被消除。     

Cross Field Diffusion of Cosmic Rays in a Two-Dimensional Magnetic Field Turbulence

Cross field diffusion of energetic particles (cosmic rays) in a two-dimensional static magnetic field turbulence is studied performing test particle simulations. Qualitatively different diffusion processes are observed depending on the ratio of Larmor radius (ρ) to the correlation length (λ) of the magnetic field fluctuations. The diffusion is found to be composed of several regimes with distinct statistical properties, which can be characterized using Levy statistics. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Turbulence, Magnetic Reconnection in Turbulent Fluids and Energetic Particle Acceleration

Turbulence is ubiquitous in astrophysics. It radically changes many astrophysical phenomena, in particular, the propagation and acceleration of cosmic rays. We present the modern understanding of compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence, in particular its decomposition into Alfvén, slow and fast modes, discuss the density structure of turbulent subsonic and supersonic media, as well as other relevant regimes of astrophysical turbulence. All this information is essential for understanding the energetic particle acceleration that we discuss further in the review. For instance, we show how fast and slow modes accelerate energetic particles through the second order Fermi acceleration, while density fluctuations generate magnetic fields in pre-shock regions enabling the first order Fermi acceleration of high energy cosmic rays. Very importantly, however, the first order Fermi cosmic ray acceleration is also possible in sites of magnetic reconnection. In the presence of turbulence this reconnection gets fast and we present numerical evidence supporting the predictions of the Lazarian and Vishniac (Astrophys. J. 517:700–718, 1999) model of fast reconnection. The efficiency of this process suggests that magnetic reconnection can release substantial amounts of energy in short periods of time. As the particle tracing numerical simulations show that the particles can be efficiently accelerated during the reconnection, we argue that the process of magnetic reconnection may be much more important for particle acceleration than it is currently accepted. In particular, we discuss the acceleration arising from reconnection as a possible origin of the anomalous cosmic rays measured by Voyagers as well as the origin cosmic ray excess in the direction of Heliotail.     

超声速磁流体加速实验及一维模型分析

为了获得负载系数、电导率等参数变化对超声速磁流体加速效果的影响规律,利用激波风洞,采用氩气与碳酸钾作为工质,电容提供电能的方式,在磁感应强度为0.5T的条件下,进行了不同电容充电电压下的超声速磁流体加速实验研究,并对一维定常理想分段法拉第型磁流体加速模型进行了分析.通过实验获得了不同电容充电电压下#10电极间的电压、电流、负载系数、电导率及#20电极开路电压等数据,在300, 400V电容充电电压下,气流速度分别增加11.4%和24.0%,在500V电容充电电压下气流速度减小11.1%.实验及模型分析得出不同的负载系数会使超声速磁流体处于加速或减速的不同状态,而电导率会影响注入总能量的大小,使磁流体流动的速度梯度大小发生改变.      

The future of space plasma simulation

Space plasma simulation is a subject which is in its infancy, but which is already having an important impact on space science. Its growth is being spurred onward by the continuing increase in capacity (speed and memory) of computers and by advances in the sophistication of numerical models. These advances are making it possible to simulate more realistic situations using more complex models. Already significant three-dimensional MHD calculations of the magnetosphere and its interaction with the solar wind have been carried out. In addition multi-dimensional particle simulations are illuminating many of the microscopic physics processes which go on (instabilities, saturation levels and wave nonlinearity, shock structure, etc.). Notwithstanding these advances, the surface has only been scratched; many challenges and opportunities are provided by simulation both for the space physicist and the model builders (also for computer designers). In MHD models more physics need to be included (Hall effect, gyroviscosity, accurate models of boundaries, how do we put microscopic physics effects into macroscopic codes, etc.). For model builders correct treatments of systems containing a large range of important space and time scales, magnetic field strengths, Alfven wave velocity, etc. present real challenges. What are the best ways to diagnose these complex models and obtain meaningful information? What quantities should be looked at? How should they be displayed? A discussion of the promises, the prospects, and the challenges of the above topics will be given with examples taken from recent work.     

SWE,a comprehensive plasma instrument for the WIND spacecraft

The Solar Wind Experiment (SWE) on the WIND spacecraft is a comprehensive, integrated set of sensors which is designed to investigate outstanding problems in solar wind physics. It consists of two Faraday cup (FC) sensors; a vector electron and ion spectrometer (VEIS); a strahl sensor, which is especially configured to study the electron strahl close to the magnetic field direction; and an on-board calibration system. The energy/charge range of the Faraday cups is 150 V to 8 kV, and that of the VEIS is 7 V to 24.8 kV. The time resolution depends on the operational mode used, but can be of the order of a few seconds for 3-D measurements. Key parameters which broadly characterize the solar wind positive ion velocity distribution function will be made available rapidly from the GGS Central Data Handling Facility.     

MHD ANALYSIS OF PETSCHEK-TYPE RECONNECTION IN NON-UNIFORM FIELD AND FLOW GEOMETRIES

Analytical studies of reconnection have, for the most part, been confined to steady and uniform current sheet geometries. In contrast to these implifications, natural phenomena associated with the presence of current sheets indicate highly non-uniform structure and time-varying behaviour. Examples include the violent outbursts of energy on the Sun known as solar flares, and magnetospheric phenomena such as flux transfer events, plasmoids, and auroral activity. Unlike the theoretical models, reconnection therefore occurs in a highly dynamic and structured plasma environment. In this article we review the mathematical tools and techniques which are available to formulate models capable of describing the effects of reconnection in such situations. We confine attention to variants of the reconnection model first discussed by Petschek in the 1960s, in view of its successful application in predicting and interpreting phenomena in the terrestrial magnetosphere. The analysis of Petschek-type reconnection is based on the equations of ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), which describe the large-scale behaviour of the magnetic field and plasma flow outside the diffusion region, which we determine as a localised part of the current sheet in which reconnection is initiated. The approach we adopt here is to transform the MHD equations into a Lagrangian or so-called 'frozen-in' coordinate system. In this coordinate system, the equation of motion transforms into a set of coupled nonlinear equations, in which the presence of inhomogeneous magnetic fields and/or plasma flows gives rise to a term similar to that which appears in the study of the ordinary string equation in a non-homogeneous medium. As demonstrated here, this approach not only clarifies and highlights the effects of such non-uniformities, it also simplifies the solution of the original set of MHD equations. In particular, this is true for those types of problem in which the total pressure can be considered as a known quantity from the outset. To illustrate the method, we solve several 2D problems involving magnetic field and flow non-uniformities: reconnection in a stagnation-point flow geometry with antiparallel magnetic fields; reconnection in a Y-type magnetic field geometry with and without velocity shear across the current sheet; and reconnection in a force-free magnetic field geometry with field lines of the form xy = const. These case examples, chosen for their tractability, each incorporate some aspects of the field and flow geomtries encountered in solar-terrestrial applications, and they provide a starting point for further analytical as well as numerical studies of reconnection.     

Coronal investigations with occulted spacecraft signals

The radio telemetry links between Earth and a spacecraft near superior conjunction penetrate the corona at ranges well within the acceleration regime of the solar wind. Occultation experiments in the solar corona have been performed on many interplanetary missions beginning with the Mariner and Pioneer series and extending up to the more recent data on Helios, Viking, and Voyager. The changes in group and phase velocity of the radio signal are measured to determine the total electron content of the corona and its fluctuations. The broadening of the carrier signal may be used in combination with the electron content data to derive a solar wind velocity profile. The wave number spectrum of electron density fluctuations in the corona may be inferred from amplitude and phase scintillations of the received signal. Linearly polarized signals, which are rotated along the propagation path by the Faraday effect, can provide information on the coronal magnetic field and its variations.Paper presented at the IX-th Lindau Workshop The Source Region of the Solar Wind.     

MHD processes in the outer heliosphere

Conclusion Much has been learned about the structure and dynamics of the outer heliosphere during the last decade as a result observations from the Voyager and Pioneer spacecraft. The large scale of the observations forces one to consider the heliosphere from a new perspective, to think of new dynamical processes, and to introduce new concepts. The early studies of isolated gas dynamic flows must be replaced by MHD dynamics of interacting flows and flow systems. The simple deterministic models that have been dominant in early studies of the solar wind are now seen to have limited applicability, and statistical approaches are being developed. New concepts that have been introduced, such as inverse cascades, filtering, entrainment, etc., must be further explored and clarified, to make them more precise and quantitative. MHD turbulence is probably very important in solar wind dynamics, but the subject is poorly developed from a theoretical point of view. The statistical analysis of solar wind parameters has scarcely begun, but it is clearly necessary for an understanding of complex, large-scale flows. The multitude of possible interactions among shocks and flows of various types needs to be explored systematically with observations, models and analytical theory. Voyagers 1 and 2 and Pioneers 10 and 11 are continuing to move through the outer heliosphere and gather data. The lengthy data reduction procedures require even more care in dealing with the low field strengths, densities and temperatures at large heliocentric distances, and the analysis of the complex flows and fields in the outer heliosphere becomes increasingly difficult. Thus one can expect continued growth of our knowledge of the heliosphere, but comprehensive understanding of the data will take some time. If this review stimulates the specialists in solar wind physics to think critically about the results presented and to remedy the deficiencies of current knowledge of the heliosphere, then it will have served its purpose. It is also hoped that this review will serve to encourage specialists in other fields to bring their talents to bear on heliospheric problems and to transfer results of heliospheric physics to their fields.     

法拉第型磁流体发电机试验和数值仿真

针对未来航空航天任务对大功率空间电源的迫切需求，开展了国内首次高温惰性气体法拉第型磁流体发电机试验研究。试验采用电弧加热器作为模拟热源，以氩气作为工质，添加铯作为电离种子以提高工质电导率，成功实现了对法拉第型磁流体发电机的原理性验证，在1 T磁场环境的试验条件下取得了最高194 W的发电功率，功率密度为866 kW/m³。根据试验条件对发电过程进行了三维数值模拟，分析结果表明：发电机输出性能受电极压降和工质速度的影响较大，需要在后续研究中改进发电机工艺以降低电极压降，并对加速喷管重新进行设计。