Dispersive magnetized waves in the solar wind plasma

TL;DR

This paper derives a comprehensive dispersion relation for magnetized waves in the solar wind plasma, accounting for electron and ion inertia, plasma beta, and angular effects, to better understand high-frequency turbulence.

Contribution

It introduces a six-order linear dispersion relation derived from a two-fluid model, incorporating effects previously neglected in solar wind wave analysis.

Findings

Dispersion relation captures effects of electron and ion inertia.

Highlights importance of finite plasma beta and angular dependence.

Provides insights into small-scale, high-frequency wave dynamics.

Abstract

We derive a generalized linear dispersion relation of waves in a strongly magnetized, compressible, homogeneous and isotropic quasineutral plasma. Starting from a two fluid model, describing distinguishable electron and ion fluids, we obtain a six order linear dispersion relation of magnetized waves that contains effects due to electron and ion inertia, finite plasma beta and angular dependence of phase speed. We investigate propagation characteristics of these magnetized waves in a regime where scale lengths are comparable with electron and ion inertial length scales. This regime corresponds essentially to the solar wind plasma where length scales, comparable with ion cyclotron frequency, lead to dispersive effects. These scales in conjunction with linear waves present a great deal of challenges in understanding the high frequency, small scale dynamics of turbulent fluctuations in the solar wind plasma.