Wave-Vector Dependence of Magnetic-Turbulence Spectra in the Solar Wind

Date

2010-04-28

Department

Program

Citation of Original Publication

Narita, Y., K.-H. Glassmeier, F. Sahraoui, and M. L. Goldstein. “Wave-Vector Dependence of Magnetic-Turbulence Spectra in the Solar Wind.” Physical Review Letters 104, no. 17 (April 28, 2010): 171101. https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.104.171101.

Rights

This work was written as part of one of the author's official duties as an Employee of the United States Government and is therefore a work of the United States Government. In accordance with 17 U.S.C. 105, no copyright protection is available for such works under U.S. Law.
Public Domain Mark 1.0

Subjects

Abstract

Using four-point measurements of the Cluster spacecraft, the energy distribution was determined for magnetic field fluctuations in the solar wind directly in the three-dimensional wave-vector domain in the range |k|≤1.5×10 ⁻³ rad/km. The energy distribution exhibits anisotropic features characterized by a prominently extended structure perpendicular to the mean field preferring the ecliptic north direction and also by a moderately extended structure parallel to the mean field. From the three-dimensional energy distribution wave vector anisotropy is estimated with respect to directions parallel and perpendicular to the mean magnetic field, and the result suggests the dominance of quasi-two-dimensional turbulence toward smaller spatial scales.