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Non-Thermal Solar Wind Electron Velocity Distribution Function.

Peter H Yoon1, Rodrigo A López2, Chadi S Salem3

  • 1Institute for Physical Science and Technology, University of Maryland, College Park, MD 20742, USA.

Entropy (Basel, Switzerland)
|April 26, 2024
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Quiet-time solar wind electrons exhibit non-thermal velocity distributions, explained by whistler-mode turbulence. This turbulence couples with fluctuations, forming kappa-like distributions observed in space plasma.

Keywords:
electromagneticelectrostatickappa distributionkineticplasmasolar wind electronsthermal fluctuationsturbulencewhistler-mode waves

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Area of Science:

  • Space Physics
  • Plasma Physics
  • Statistical Mechanics

Background:

  • Solar wind electrons display non-thermal velocity distributions, often modeled by kappa distributions.
  • Kappa distributions are linked to non-extensive statistical mechanics and plasma turbulence.
  • Previous models focused on electrostatic (Langmuir) turbulence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the role of transverse electromagnetic turbulence in forming non-thermal electron velocity distributions.
  • Explore whistler-mode turbulence as a mechanism for kappa-like distributions.
  • Connect turbulent quasi-equilibrium states with non-extensive statistical mechanics in solar wind electrons.

Main Methods:

  • Theoretical modeling of solar wind electron velocity distribution functions.
  • Analysis of the impact of whistler-mode electromagnetic turbulence.
  • Investigating the coupling of thermal fluctuations and background turbulence.

Main Results:

  • Whistler-mode turbulence, coupled with thermal fluctuations, generates non-thermal electron velocity distributions.
  • This mechanism explains the observed kappa-like distributions in quiet-time solar wind.
  • Provides an alternative to electrostatic turbulence models.

Conclusions:

  • Whistler-range turbulence is a viable mechanism for producing kappa-like electron velocity distributions in the solar wind.
  • This finding supports the link between non-extensive statistical states and turbulent quasi-equilibrium.
  • The model is particularly relevant for near-Sun and near-Earth environments.