From Micro- to Macro-scales in the Heliosphere and Magnetospheres

TL;DR

This paper explores how plasma physics across different spatial and temporal scales in the heliosphere and magnetospheres can be understood through theoretical, analytical, and statistical methods, highlighting the complex interplay of turbulence and structure.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of the multiscale interactions in space plasmas, emphasizing the role of dimensionless analysis and statistical approaches in understanding these phenomena.

Findings

Examples of scale interplay in space plasma environments

Application of dimensionless scaling analysis

Use of statistical methods to interpret plasma behavior

Abstract

From a broader perspective, the heliosphere and planetary magnetospheres provide a test bed to explore the plasma physics of the Universe. In particular, the underlying nonlinear coupling of different spatial and temporal scales plays a key role in determining the structure and dynamics of space plasmas and electromagnetic fields. Plasmas and fields exhibit both laminar and turbulent properties, corresponding to either well organized or disordered states, and the development of quantitative theoretical and analytical descriptions from physics based first principles is a profound challenge. Limited observations and complications introduced by geometry and physical parameters conspire to complicate the problem. Dimensionless scaling analysis and statistical methods are universally applied common approaches that allow for the application of related ideas to multiple physical problems. We discuss several examples of the interplay between the scales in a variety of space plasma environments, as exemplified in the presentations of the session \textit{From Micro- to Macro-scales in the Heliosphere and Magnetospheres.}