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Alfvén-wave acceleration of the solar wind

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Il Nuovo Cimento C

Summary

The increase in mass flux and energy flux from the Sun is calculated for an increasing Alfvén-wave amplitude, δv 0, in the lower corona and fixed values for the coronal pressure, the coronal temperature and the interplanetary magnetic field. The energy per mass and the flow speed at the orbit of the Earth increase with the wave amplitude and reach a maximum for δv 0∼50 km s−1. For reasonable values of the coronal pressure and temperature and of the magnetic field, high-speed solar-wind streams can be driven by Alfvén waves with an amplitude δv 0∼(20÷25) km s−1 in the lower corona.

Riassunto

L'incremento nel flusso di massa ed energia dal Sole è calcolato per una ampiezza crescente dell'onda di Alfvén, δv 0, nella corona inferiore, e per valori fissati della pressione coronale, della temperatura coronale e del campo magnetico interplanetario. L'energia per massa e la velocità di flusso nell'orbita terrestre crescono con l'ampiezza d'onda e raggiungono un massimo per δv 0∼50 km s−1. Per ragionevoli valori della pressione coronale, della temperatura coronale e del campo magnetico, le correnti ad alta velocità del vento solare possono essere guidate da onde di Alfvén con un'ampiezza δv 0≈(20÷25) km s−1 nella corona inferiore.

Резюме

Вычисляется возрастание массового потока и потока энертии от Солнца при возрастании амплитуды волн Альфвена, δv 0, в нижней короне и при фиксированных значениях коронального давления, корональной температуры и максимального магнитного поля. Знергия, отнесенная к массе, и скорость потока на орбите Эемли увеличиваются с амплитудой волны и достигают максимума δv 0∼50 км с−1. Рер разумных велличии корональных давле давления температуры и магнитного поля потоки солнечного ветра с высокими скоростями могут быть возбуждены волнами Альфвена с амплитудой δv 0≈(20÷25) км ц−1 б нижней короне.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Auroral Observatory, Department of Mathematical and Physical Sciences, University of Tromsø, 9000, Tromsø, Norway

    E. Leer & T. Flå

  2. High Altitude Observatory, National Center for Atmospheric Research, P.O. Box 3000, 80303, Boulder, Colo

    T. E. Holzer

Authors
  1. E. Leer
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  2. T. Flå
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  3. T. E. Holzer
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The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.

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Leer, E., Flå, T. & Holzer, T.E. Alfvén-wave acceleration of the solar wind. Il Nuovo Cimento C 3, 114–122 (1980). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02507138

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02507138

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