The nature and radial evolution of solar wind electrons in the suprathermal energy range are studied. A wave–particle interaction tensor and a Fokker–Planck Coulomb collision operator are introduced into the kinetic transport equation describing electron collisions and resonant interactions with whistler waves. The diffusion tensor includes diagonal and off-diagonal terms, and the Coulomb collision operator applies to arbitrary electron velocities describing collisions with both background protons and electrons. The background proton and electron densities and temperatures are based on previous turbulence models that mediate the supersonic solar wind. The electron velocity distribution functions and electron heat flux are calculated. Comparison and analysis of the numerical results with analytical solutions and observations in the near-Sun region are made. The numerical results reproduce well the creation of the sunward electron deficit observed in the near-Sun region. The deficit of the electron velocity distribution function below the core Maxwellian fit at low velocities results from Coulomb collisions, and the excess part above the core Maxwellian fit at high velocities is determined by strong wave–particle interactions.
- Award ID(s):
- 1655280
- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10313999
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- The Astrophysical Journal
- Volume:
- 924
- Issue:
- 2
- ISSN:
- 0004-637X
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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Abstract -
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Context. The evolution of the solar wind electron distribution function with heliocentric distance exhibits different features that are still unexplained, in particular, the fast decrease in the electron heat flux and the increase in the Strahl pitch angle width. Wave-particle interactions between electrons and whistler waves are often proposed to explain these phenomena.Aims. We aim to quantify the effect of whistler waves on suprathermal electrons as a function of heliocentric distance.Methods. We first performed a statistical analysis of whistler waves (occurrence and properties) observed by Solar Orbiter and Parker Solar Probe between 0.2 and 1 AU. The wave characteristics were then used to compute the diffusion coefficients for solar wind suprathermal electrons in the framework of quasi-linear theory. These coefficients were integrated to deduce the overall effect of whistler waves on electrons along their propagation.Results. About 110 000 whistler wave packets were detected and characterized in the plasma frame, including their direction of propagation with respect to the background magnetic field and their radial direction of propagation. Most waves are aligned with the magnetic field and only ∼0.5% of them have a propagation angle greater than 45°. Beyond 0.3 AU, it is almost exclusively quasi-parallel waves propagating anti-sunward (some of them are found sunward but are within switchbacks with a change of sign of the radial component of the background magnetic) that are observed. Thus, these waves are found to be Strahl-aligned and not counter-streaming. At 0.2 AU, we find both Strahl-aligned and counter-streaming quasi-parallel whistler waves.Conclusions. Beyond 0.3 AU, the integrated diffusion coefficients show that the observed waves are sufficient to explain the measured Strahl pitch angle evolution and effective in isotropizing the halo. Strahl diffusion is mainly attributed to whistler waves with a propagation angle ofθ ∈ [15.45]°, although their origin has not yet been fully determined. Near 0.2 AU, counter-streaming whistler waves are able to diffuse the Strahl electrons more efficiently than the Strahl-aligned waves by two orders of magnitude. -
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Accepted Manuscript1.0
- Journal Article:
- https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ac36c9
