SHINE: Turbulence and Plasma Heating in the Solar Wind

University Of California-Berkeley, Berkeley CA

Investigators

Abstract

The Principal Investigator (PI) plans to perform Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modeling of solar wind turbulence on scales of the ion Larmor radius, where a fluid description is less applicable and plasma kinetic effects are important. This modeling is necessary for investigating how energy in turbulent fluctuations is converted into heat. These kinetic simulations of MHD turbulence will provide quantitative predictions of how turbulence induces fluctuations in a variety of heliophysical quantities, including the magnetic field, the electric field, the plasma density, and the particle distribution function. The PI intends to compare his simulation output with in situ measurements in the solar wind. He will also study the heating of solar wind plasma through small-scale fluctuations in an MHD turbulent cascade, and will quantify the extent to which his modeled plasma heating is consistent with observations of the solar wind. This project will significantly advance the understanding of the complex connection between the turbulent fluctuations in the solar wind and the heating and acceleration of solar wind plasma by such turbulence. Graduate student and postdoctoral training will be an important part of this project. The PI will also provide public talks on a regular basis that will incorporate the results of this research and convey the scientific process to a broader audience.