5 years ago

Interplay between Alfv\'en and magnetosonic waves in compressible magnetohydrodynamics turbulence.

Pablo D. Mininni, Fouad Sahraoui, Nahuel Andrés, William H. Matthaeus, Patricio Clark di Leoni, Pablo Dmitruk

Using spatio-temporal spectra we show direct evidence of excitation of magnetosonic and Alfv\'en waves in three-dimensional compressible magnetohydrodynamic turbulence at small Mach numbers. For the plasma pressure dominated regime, or high $\beta$ regime (with $\beta$ the ratio between fluid and magnetic pressure), and for the magnetic pressure dominated regime, or low $\beta$ regime, we study magnetic field fluctuations parallel and perpendicular to a guide magnetic field $\textbf{B}_0$. In the low $\beta$ case we find excitation of compressible and incompressible fluctuations, with a transfer of energy towards Alfv\'enic modes and to a lesser extent towards magnetosonic modes. In particular, we find signatures of the presence of fast magnetosonic waves in a scenario compatible with that of weak turbulence. In the high $\beta$ case, fast and slow magnetosonic waves are present, with no clear trace of Alfv\'en waves, and a significant part of the energy is carried by two-dimensional turbulent eddies.

Publisher URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/1707.09190

DOI: arXiv:1707.09190v2

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