Solar wind structures from the gaussianity of magnetic magnitude
File(s)
Published version
Author(s)
Type
Journal Article
Abstract
The heliosphere is permeated with highly structured solar wind originating from the Sun. One of the primary science objectives of Parker Solar Probe (PSP) is to determine the structures and dynamics of the plasma and magnetic fields at the sources of the solar wind. However, establishing the connection between in situ measurements and structures and dynamics in the solar atmosphere is challenging: most of the magnetic footpoint mapping techniques have significant uncertainties in the source localization of a plasma parcel observed in situ, and the PSP plasma measurements suffer from a limited field of view. Therefore, it lacks a universal tool to self-contextualize the in situ measurements. Here we develop a novel time series visualization method named Gaussianity Scalogram. Utilizing this method, by analyzing the magnetic magnitude data from both PSP and Ulysses, we successfully identify in situ structures that are possible remnants of solar atmospheric and magnetic structures spanning more than 7 orders of magnitude, from years to seconds, including polar and midlatitude coronal holes, as well as structures compatible with supergranulation, “jetlets” and “picoflares.” Furthermore, computer simulations of Alfvénic turbulence successfully reproduce the Gaussianization of magnetic magnitude, supporting the observed distribution. Building upon these discoveries, the Gaussianity Scalogram can help future studies to reveal the fractal-like fine structures in the solar wind time series from both PSP and a decades-old data archive.
Date Issued
2024-09-18
Date Acceptance
2024-08-12
Citation
Astrophysical Journal Letters, 2024, 973 (1)
ISSN
2041-8205
Publisher
IOP Publishing
Journal / Book Title
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Volume
973
Issue
1
Copyright Statement
© 2024. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society. Original content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 licence. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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Subjects
Astronomy & Astrophysics
CONSERVATION
DISCONTINUITIES
DYNAMICS
ELECTRON-DENSITY
PATCHES
Physical Sciences
POLARIZED ALFVEN WAVES
RECONNECTION
Science & Technology
SUPERGRANULATION
SWITCHBACKS
THERMAL NOISE SPECTROSCOPY
Publication Status
Published
Article Number
L26
Date Publish Online
2024-09-18