In situ signature of cyclotron resonant heating in the solar wind
File(s)2111.05400v2.pdf (1.98 MB)
Accepted version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The dissipation of magnetized turbulence is an important paradigm for describing heating and energy transfer in astrophysical environments such as the solar corona and wind; however, the specific collisionless processes behind dissipation and heating remain relatively unconstrained by measurements. Remote sensing observations have suggested the presence of strong temperature anisotropy in the solar corona consistent with cyclotron resonant heating. In the solar wind, in situ magnetic field measurements reveal the presence of cyclotron waves, while measured ion velocity distribution functions have hinted at the active presence of cyclotron resonance. Here, we present Parker Solar Probe observations that connect the presence of ion-cyclotron waves directly to signatures of resonant damping in observed proton-velocity distributions using the framework of quasilinear theory. We show that the quasilinear evolution of the observed distribution functions should absorb the observed cyclotron wave population with a heating rate of
10
−
14
W
/
m
3
, indicating significant heating of the solar wind.
10
−
14
W
/
m
3
, indicating significant heating of the solar wind.
Date Issued
2022-10-14
Date Acceptance
2022-09-16
Citation
Physical Review Letters, 2022, 129 (16), pp.1-8
ISSN
0031-9007
Publisher
American Physical Society (APS)
Start Page
1
End Page
8
Journal / Book Title
Physical Review Letters
Volume
129
Issue
16
Copyright Statement
© 2022 American Physical Society
Identifier
https://journals.aps.org/prl/abstract/10.1103/PhysRevLett.129.165101
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
165101
Date Publish Online
2022-10-14