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Suprathermal electron isotropy in high‐beta solar wind and its role in heat flux dropouts
Author(s) -
Crooker N. U.,
Larson D. E.,
Kahler S. W.,
Lamassa S. M.,
Spence H. E.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2003gl017036
Subject(s) - solar wind , physics , heliosphere , plasma , beta (programming language) , pitch angle , electron , computational physics , isotropy , magnetic field , heat flux , flux (metallurgy) , magnetic flux , geophysics , mechanics , optics , heat transfer , nuclear physics , materials science , quantum mechanics , computer science , metallurgy , programming language
Time variations in plasma beta and a parameter which measures isotropy in suprathermal electron pitch angle distributions show a remarkably close correspondence throughout the solar wind. The finding implies that high‐beta plasma, with its multiple magnetic holes and sharp field and plasma gradients, is conducive to electron pitch‐angle scattering, which reduces heat flux from the Sun without field‐line disconnection. Thus the finding impacts our understanding of signatures we use to determine magnetic topology in the heliosphere.