Temporal evolution of linear kinetic Alfven waves in inhomogeneous plasmas and turbulence generation

English Abstract:

The coronal ion heating in the Sun is primarily considered due to Alfvén wave dissipation. The Hinode data which has provided strong evidence for the presence of Alfvén waves in the corona and in coronal loops, has lead laboratory investigations and numerical simulations of Alfvén wave propagation and damping. The inhomogeneous plasmas can be employed to study such phenomenon in relatively shorter systems. This paper presents a model for the propagation of Kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs) in inhomogeneous plasma when the inhomogeneity is in transverse and parallel directions relative to the background magnetic field. The semi-analytical technique and numerical simulations have been performed to study the KAW dynamics when plasma inhomogeneity is incorporated in the dynamics. The model equations are solved in order to study the localization of KAW and their magnetic power spectrum which indicates the direct transfer of energy from lower to higher wave numbers as well as frequencies. The inhomogeneity scale lengths in both directions may control the nature of fluctuations and localization of the waves and play a very important role in the turbulence generation and its level. We present a theoretical study of the localization of KAWs, variations in magnetic field amplitude in time, and variation in the frequency spectra arising from inhomogeneities. The relevance of the model to space and laboratory observations is discussed.