2007/08/06 by W. H. Matthaeus, A. Pouquet, Pablo D. Mininni +3 · 7 citations
Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology · Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #astro-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.100.085003
published as Phys.Rev.Lett.100:085003,2008 · 4 pages, 6 figures
arxiv created 2007/08/06 · openalex publication_date 2008/02/27 · arxiv updated 2009/12/01 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
We show that local directional alignment of the velocity and magnetic field fluctuations occurs rapidly in magnetohydrodynamics for a variety of parameters and is seen both in direct numerical simulations and in solar wind data. The phenomenon is due to an alignment between magnetic field and gradients of either pressure or kinetic energy, and is similar to alignment of velocity and vorticity in Navier-Stokes turbulence. This rapid and robust relaxation process leads to a local weakening of nonlinear terms.