Electron temperature in the solar wind: Generic radial variation from kinetic collisionless models

Details Electron temperature in the solar wind: Generic radial variation from kinetic collisionless models Electron temperature in the solar wind: Generic radial variation from kinetic collisionless models

Dec 1998

adsabs.harvard.edu/cgi-bin/nph-data_query?bibcode=1998jgr...10329705m&link_type=abstract

Journal of Geophysical Research, Volume 103, Issue A12, p. 29705-29718

Physics

Plasma Physics

27

Interplanetary Physics: Solar Wind Plasma, Space Plasma Physics: Kinetic And Mhd Theory, Interplanetary Physics: General Or Miscellaneous, Solar Physics, Astrophysics, And Astronomy: General Or Miscellaneous

Scientific paper

We calculate analytically the radial profile of the average electron temperature in the solar wind with a kinetic collisionless model. The electron temperature profile at large distances r is the sum of a term ~r-4/3 plus a constant, with both terms of the same order of magnitude near r~1AU. This result is generic as it is weakly dependent on the particle velocity distributions in the corona. It provides a natural explanation for the observed electron temperature profile near 1 AU, which is in the low or middle part of the range between isothermal and adiabatic behaviors. The r-4/3 term comes from the isotropically distributed electrons confined by the heliospheric electric potential, which is found to have a similar radial variation. The constant term comes from the parallel temperature of the electrons energetic enough to escape. The calculated profile flattens as r increases and tends to be flatter in the high-speed wind. We also give simple explicit expressions for the electron temperature and density at large distances and for the terminal wind velocity as a function of coronal parameters when the electron velocity distribution is a Kappa function, which is close to a Maxwellian with a suprathermal tail.

Affiliated with

Also associated with

No associations

Rating

Electron temperature in the solar wind: Generic radial variation from kinetic collisionless models does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this scientific paper.

If you have personal experience with Electron temperature in the solar wind: Generic radial variation from kinetic collisionless models, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Electron temperature in the solar wind: Generic radial variation from kinetic collisionless models will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFWR-SCP-O-1294291