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Multi‐scale probability distributions of solar wind speed fluctuations at 1 AU described by a generalized Tsallis distribution
Author(s) -
Burlaga L. F.,
F.Viñas A.
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 - 10.1029/2004gl020715
Subject(s) - physics , statistical physics , probability distribution , turbulence , probability density function , tsallis statistics , distribution function , scale (ratio) , ejecta , wind speed , mechanics , meteorology , classical mechanics , astrophysics , mathematics , statistics , quantum mechanics , supernova
The probability distributions of changes in the solar speed observed at 1 AU by ACE during 1999 on scales from 1 hour to 171 days and at a scale of 64 sec can be described by a single distribution function. The function is a simple generalization of the Tsallis q‐distribution, a probability distribution that was derived from nonextensive statistical mechanics. The fluctuations in speed are related to (1) intermittent turbulence and shocks on the smallest scales; (2) ejecta, corotating streams, slow flows, interaction regions, etc. on intermediate scales; and (3) systems of interacting flows involving all of these features, on scales greater than the solar rotation period.