Physics Dept Seminar

September 16, Monday

Understanding Alfven-Wave Turbulence in the Near-Sun Region: Theory, Simulations and Future Parker Solar Probe Observations

Prof. Jean Perez, Florida Institute of Technology

(Solar Physics, Host: Bin Chen)

Time: 11:45 am - 12:45 pm with 11:30 am tea time

Room: ECE 202

In-situ measurements by virtually every spacecraft to date have found that velocity and magnetic fields in the solar wind are predominantly incompressible Alfvenic fluctuations spanning a broad range of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) scales, making spacecraft observations the best experiment to study MHD turbulence. The solar wind originates in the low corona where the hot plasma cannot establish hydrostatic equilibrium with the Sun's gravity, but is instead accelerated to form the solar wind. An understanding of the physical mechanisms causing the heating and acceleration of the solar corona, which then becomes the solar wind, has remained elusive. In the upcoming decade, Parker Solar Probe will revolutionize our understanding of these longstanding problems by providing unprecedented in-situ measurements near the solar wind acceleration region. In this talk I will present a brief overview of our current understanding of solar wind turbulence, discuss recent advances from theory and simulations on the role of Alfven-Wave turbulence in the heating of the corona, and discuss how single-point measurements of the velocity and magnetic field fluctuations by Parker Solar Probe can be used to compare with current and future turbulence theories.