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Three-wave coupling and weak turbulence of kinetic Alfvén waves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 1998

Yu. M. VOITENKO
Affiliation:
Department of Space Plasma Physics, Main Astronomical Observatory of the National Academy of Sciences of Ukraine, Kyiv, 252650, Ukraine

Abstract

The nonlinear dynamics of kinetic-Alfvén–wave (KAW) turbulence is studied. Weak KAW turbulence induced by three-wave interaction among parallel-propagating KAWs has a direct energy cascade in the wavenumber domain ks−1i and an inverse cascade in the domain ks−1i, resulting in Kolmogorov-type spectra, Wk∼(kz) −1/2(k)p, with exponents p=4 and p=3.5 respectively. The interaction including antiparallel-propagating KAWs, usually most effective, results in an inverse energy cascade over the whole k range and p=2 (at k−1i) and p=3.5 (for k−1i) spectra. Three applications concerning KAW turbulence in flaring loops, in the Earth's magnetosphere and in tokamaks are considered. It is suggested that turbulent KAW spectra are common in space plasmas.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
1998 Cambridge University Press

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