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Observational evidence of pitch angle isotropization by IMF waves
Author(s) -
Saul L.,
Möbius E.,
Smith C. W.,
Bochsler P.,
Grünwaldt H.,
Klecker B.,
Ipavich F.
Publication year - 2004
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 - 10.1029/2003gl019014
Subject(s) - heliosphere , physics , solar wind , pitch angle , computational physics , magnetic field , pickup , scattering , astrophysics , spectral density , spectral line , astronomy , optics , quantum mechanics , artificial intelligence , computer science , image (mathematics) , statistics , mathematics
A statistical analysis of interstellar He + pickup ion measurements from SOHO/CTOF combined with magnetic field data from WIND/MFI enable quantitative study of wave‐particle interactions in the inner heliosphere for the first time. Magnetic field vector measurements with a time resolution of 3 seconds are used to determine power spectrum characteristics of interplanetary magnetic turbulence. These spectral characteristics are then compared in superposed epoch and correlation analyses with He + fluxes and spectra. The observed pickup ion velocity distributions can be explained consistently as a consequence of pitch angle scattering of the interstellar pickup ions by Alfvénic fluctuations.