Self-Consistent Solar Wind Model Driven by a Turbulent Spectrum of Alfven Waves

Details Self-Consistent Solar Wind Model Driven by a Turbulent Spectrum of Alfven Waves Self-Consistent Solar Wind Model Driven by a Turbulent Spectrum of Alfven Waves

Dec 2010

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=2010agufmsh31a1795o&link_type=abstract

American Geophysical Union, Fall Meeting 2010, abstract #SH31A-1795

Physics

Plasma Physics

[7509] Solar Physics, Astrophysics, And Astronomy / Corona, [7863] Space Plasma Physics / Turbulence, [7959] Space Weather / Models

Scientific paper

Turbulent MHD waves have been suggested as a possible mechanism to both heat the solar corona (via wave energy dissipation) and accelerate the solar wind (through the wave pressure gradient). Given that wave energy dissipation may be strongly frequency dependent, and that the spectral shape may evolve as the plasma state changes, a realistic coronal/solar wind model should incorporate the full wave spectrum. Motivated by Hinode observations of chromospheric Alfven waves that have shown that their energy flux is sufficient to drive the solar wind (DePontiue et. al, 2007), we present a self-consistent model of the solar corona and solar wind driven by low frequency Alfven waves. The model solves the coupled system of the wave transport equation and the MHD equations, as derived in Sokolov et. al., (2009). This allows for the exchange of momentum and energy between the wave field and the background plasma. The computational model is based on the BATSRUS code and is implemented within the SWMF. In every spatial cell a frequency grid is constructed, allowing for the detailed description of the wave spectrum, making the model effectively 4D. The turbulent nature of the wave field is introduced into the computational model by imposing a Kolmogorov - type spectrum coming from the solar surface (the inner boundary of the computational domain), and by assuming wave energy is completely dissipated at and above the local ion cyclotron frequency. We found that the solar wind can indeed be totally driven by Alfven waves. The model is extended to include the inner heliosphere, which will allow us to compare model output against in situ data at 1AU.

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