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1. Secondary Proton Beam Instability in a Turbulent Solar Wind at 50 R _⊙

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acf656  

   Markovskii, S. A.; Vasquez, Bernard J. (September 2023, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract We investigate a secondary proton beam instability coexisting with the ambient solar wind turbulence at 50R_☉. Three-dimensional hybrid numerical simulations (particle ions and a quasi-neutralizing electron fluid) are carried out with the plasma parameters in the observed range. In the turbulent background, the particle distribution function, in particular the slope of the “bump-on-tail” responsible for the instability, is time-dependent and inhomogeneous. The presence of the turbulence substantially reduces the growth rate and saturation level of the instability. We derive magnetic power spectra from the observational data and perform a statistical analysis to evaluate the average turbulence intensity at 50R_☉. This information is used to link the observed frequency spectrum to the wavenumber spectrum in the simulations. We verify that Taylor’s frozen-in hypothesis is valid for this purpose to a sufficient extent. To reproduce the typical magnetic power spectrum of the instability observed concurrently with the background turbulence, an artificial spacecraft probe is run through the simulation box. The thermal-ion instabilities are often seen as power elevations in the kinetic range of scales above an extrapolation of the turbulence spectrum from larger scales. We show that the elevated power in the simulations is much higher than the background level. Therefore, the turbulence at the average intensity does not obscure the secondary proton beam instability, as opposed to the solar wind at 1 au, in which the ambient turbulence typically obscures thermal-ion instabilities. 

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2. The butterfly effect and the transition to turbulence in a stratified shear layer

   https://doi.org/10.1017/jfm.2022.985  

   Liu, Chih-Lun; Kaminski, Alexis K.; Smyth, William D. (December 2022, Journal of Fluid Mechanics)

   In a stably stratified shear layer, multiple competing instabilities produce sensitivity to small changes in initial conditions, popularly called the butterfly effect (as a flapping wing may alter the weather). Three ensembles of 15 simulated mixing events, identical but for small perturbations to the initial state, are used to explore differences in the route to turbulence, the maximum turbulence level and the total amount and efficiency of mixing accomplished by each event. Comparisons show that a small change in the initial state alters the strength and timing of the primary Kelvin–Helmholtz instability, the subharmonic pairing instability and the various three-dimensional secondary instabilities that lead to turbulence. The effect is greatest in, but not limited to, the parameter regime where pairing and the three-dimensional secondary instabilities are in strong competition. Pairing may be accelerated or prevented; maximum turbulence kinetic energy may vary by up to a factor of 4.6, flux Richardson number by 12 %–15 % and net mixing by a factor of 2. 

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3. Magnetic Helicity Associated with the Proton Temperature Anisotropy Instabilities in the Presence of an Imbalanced Solar Wind Turbulence

   https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/acdb66  

   Markovskii, S. A.; Vasquez, Bernard J. (July 2023, The Astrophysical Journal)

   Abstract Some of the most common processes in the solar wind, such as turbulence and wave generation by instabilities, are associated with spectral magnetic helicity. Therefore, the helicity is a convenient tool to investigate these processes. We use three-dimensional nonlinear kinetic simulations with particle ions and fluid electrons to analyze the magnetic helicity produced by proton temperature anisotropy instabilities coexisting with an ambient turbulence. The symmetry of the unstable system is violated by alpha-particle streaming with respect to protons along the mean magnetic field. At the same time, the turbulent fluctuations are also imbalanced by a nonzero cross-helicity. We show that in the nonlinear phase of the instability the resulting helicity structure is different from the prediction of the linear theory. In particular, it contains sign reversals and multiple domains of nonzero helicity. The turbulence generates its own magnetic helicity signature, which extends over a wide range of angles around the direction perpendicular to the mean magnetic field, and can have a sign the same as or opposite to that of the instability. These findings are consistent with the observed helicity spectra in the solar wind. 

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4. Unified fluid theory of the collisional thermal Farley–Buneman instability including magnetized multi-species ions

   https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0155500  

   Dimant, Y. S.; Oppenheim, M. M.; Evans, S.; Martinez-Sykora, J. (October 2023, Physics of Plasmas)

   This paper develops a unified linear theory of cross field plasma instabilities, including the Farley–Buneman, electron thermal, and ion thermal instabilities, in spatially uniform collisional plasmas with partially unmagnetized multi-species ions. Collisional plasma instabilities in weakly ionized, highly dissipative, weakly magnetized plasmas play an important role in the lower Earth's ionosphere and may be of importance in other planetary ionospheres, stellar atmospheres, cometary tails, molecular clouds, accretion disks, etc. In the Earth's ionosphere, these collisional plasma instabilities cause intense electron heating. In the solar chromosphere, they can do the same—an effect originally suggested from spectroscopic observations and modeling. Based on a simplified 5-moment multi-fluid model, the theoretical analysis presented in this paper produces the linear dispersion relation for the combined Thermal Farley–Buneman Instability with an important long-wavelength limit analyzed in detail. This limit provides an easy interpretation of different instability drivers and wave dissipation. This analysis of instability, combined with simulations, will enable us to better understand plasma waves and turbulence in these commonly occurring collisional space plasmas. 

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5. Direct measurements reveal instabilities and turbulence within large amplitude internal solitary waves beneath the ocean

   https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-020-00083-6  

   Chang, Ming-Huei; Cheng, Yu-Hsin; Yang, Yiing Jang; Jan, Sen; Ramp, Steven R.; Reeder, D. Benjamin; Hsieh, Wan-Ting; Ko, Dong S.; Davis, Kristen A.; Shao, Huan-Jie; et al (December 2021, Communications Earth & Environment)

   null (Ed.)

   Abstract Internal solitary waves are ubiquitous in coastal regions and marginal seas of the world’s oceans. As the waves shoal shoreward, they lose the energy obtained from ocean tides through globally significant turbulent mixing and dissipation and consequently pump nutrient-rich water to nourish coastal ecosystem. Here we present fine-scale, direct measurements of shoaling internal solitary waves in the South China Sea, which allow for an examination of the physical processes triggering the intensive turbulent mixing in their interior. These are convective breaking in the wave core and the collapse of Kelvin–Helmholtz billows in the wave rear and lower periphery of the core, often occurring simultaneously. The former takes place when the particle velocity exceeds the wave’s propagating velocity. The latter is caused by the instability induced by the strong velocity shear overcoming the stratification. The instabilities generate turbulence levels four orders of magnitude larger than that in the open ocean. 

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