Evolution of Alfvén Waves in the Solar Wind. II. Broadband Driver

The propagation of azimuthal Alfvén waves and their interaction with the solar wind are investigated using a 2.5D magnetohydrodynamic model that incorporates the effects of optically thin radiation, as well as collisional and collisionless thermal conduction. The background plasma forms a dipole fie...

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Main Authors: Khaled Alielden, Yeghiazar Taroyan
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adc8a0
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author Khaled Alielden
Yeghiazar Taroyan
author_facet Khaled Alielden
Yeghiazar Taroyan
author_sort Khaled Alielden
collection DOAJ
description The propagation of azimuthal Alfvén waves and their interaction with the solar wind are investigated using a 2.5D magnetohydrodynamic model that incorporates the effects of optically thin radiation, as well as collisional and collisionless thermal conduction. The background plasma forms a dipole field that is extended into a helmet streamer by the solar wind, with slow wind near the equator and fast wind at mid- and high latitudes. Alfvénic wave trains, localized at random heliographic latitudes, are launched from the coronal base with a moderate amplitude of 9 km s ^−1 across a wide range of frequencies. Experiments with 100 and 200 events are carried out, resulting in the formation of a cavity where the waves are trapped. The cavity expands or contracts based on the dominant driver period, with longer-period waves setting up larger cavities. A distinctive feature of the cavity is the formation of large-amplitude backward waves that provide an additional push to the solar wind plasma at mid- and high latitudes through the ponderomotive force. We find that episodic and localized wave trains are more efficient at heating and accelerating solar wind plasma compared to continuous monochromatic waves uniformly launched from all heliographic latitudes. Increasing the number of wave events results in enhanced acceleration and heating of the solar wind plasma, as well as suppression of plasmoid breakup events in the equatorial plasma sheet.
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spelling doaj-art-1b7adebbc0864877a201a31ee475c2fa2025-08-20T03:09:54ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572025-01-01985110310.3847/1538-4357/adc8a0Evolution of Alfvén Waves in the Solar Wind. II. Broadband DriverKhaled Alielden0https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3035-3937Yeghiazar Taroyan1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4162-8219Department of Space and Climate Physics, Mullard Space Science Laboratory, University College London , Dorking, Surrey, RH5 6NT, UK; Department of Physics, Aberystwyth University , Aberystwyth, SY23 3BZ, UKDepartment of Physics, Aberystwyth University , Aberystwyth, SY23 3BZ, UKThe propagation of azimuthal Alfvén waves and their interaction with the solar wind are investigated using a 2.5D magnetohydrodynamic model that incorporates the effects of optically thin radiation, as well as collisional and collisionless thermal conduction. The background plasma forms a dipole field that is extended into a helmet streamer by the solar wind, with slow wind near the equator and fast wind at mid- and high latitudes. Alfvénic wave trains, localized at random heliographic latitudes, are launched from the coronal base with a moderate amplitude of 9 km s ^−1 across a wide range of frequencies. Experiments with 100 and 200 events are carried out, resulting in the formation of a cavity where the waves are trapped. The cavity expands or contracts based on the dominant driver period, with longer-period waves setting up larger cavities. A distinctive feature of the cavity is the formation of large-amplitude backward waves that provide an additional push to the solar wind plasma at mid- and high latitudes through the ponderomotive force. We find that episodic and localized wave trains are more efficient at heating and accelerating solar wind plasma compared to continuous monochromatic waves uniformly launched from all heliographic latitudes. Increasing the number of wave events results in enhanced acceleration and heating of the solar wind plasma, as well as suppression of plasmoid breakup events in the equatorial plasma sheet.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adc8a0Solar physics
spellingShingle Khaled Alielden
Yeghiazar Taroyan
Evolution of Alfvén Waves in the Solar Wind. II. Broadband Driver
The Astrophysical Journal
Solar physics
title Evolution of Alfvén Waves in the Solar Wind. II. Broadband Driver
title_full Evolution of Alfvén Waves in the Solar Wind. II. Broadband Driver
title_fullStr Evolution of Alfvén Waves in the Solar Wind. II. Broadband Driver
title_full_unstemmed Evolution of Alfvén Waves in the Solar Wind. II. Broadband Driver
title_short Evolution of Alfvén Waves in the Solar Wind. II. Broadband Driver
title_sort evolution of alfven waves in the solar wind ii broadband driver
topic Solar physics
url https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/adc8a0
work_keys_str_mv AT khaledalielden evolutionofalfvenwavesinthesolarwindiibroadbanddriver
AT yeghiazartaroyan evolutionofalfvenwavesinthesolarwindiibroadbanddriver