2013/07/31 by H. Che, M. L. Goldstein, A. F. Viñas
Physics and Astronomy · #Astro and Planetary Science #Atomic physics #Classical mechanics #Computational physics #Electron #Instability #Ionosphere and magnetosphere dynamics #Kinetic energy #Mechanics #Nuclear physics #Physics #Plasma #Solar and Space Plasma Dynamics #Solar wind #Turbulence #Wave turbulence #Whistler #astro-ph.SR #physics.space-ph
paper · pdf · doi:10.1103/physrevlett.112.061101
12 pages, 5 figures, Submitted to Physical Review Letters
arxiv created 2014/01/01 · openalex publication_date 2014/02/11 · arxiv updated 2015/06/16 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/08/05
The observed steep kinetic scale turbulence spectrum in the solar wind raises the question of how that turbulence originates. Observations of keV energetic electrons during solar quiet time suggest them as a possible source of free energy to drive kinetic turbulence. Using particle-in-cell simulations, we explore how the free energy released by an electron two-stream instability drives Weibel-like electromagnetic waves that excite wave-wave interactions. Consequently, both kinetic Alfvénic and whistler turbulence are excited that evolve through inverse and forward magnetic energy cascades.