Weak compressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the solar corona

Abstract

This Letter presents a calculation of the power spectra of weakly turbulent Alfven waves and fast magnetosonic waves ("fast waves") in low-beta plasmas. It is shown that three-wave interactions transfer energy to high-frequency fast waves and, to a lesser extent, high-frequency Alfven waves. High-frequency waves produced by MHD turbulence are a promising explanation for the anisotropic heating of minor ions in the solar corona.

Department

Physics

Publication Date

12-29-2005

Journal Title

Physical Review Letters

Publisher

AMERICAN PHYSICAL SOCIETY

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.1103/PhysRevLett.95.265004

Document Type

Article

Rights

© 2005 The American Physical Society

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