Generalized Expanding-Box Formulations of Reduced Magnetohydrodynamics in the Solar Wind

Fuente: arXiv
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Main Authors: David, Vincent, Chandran, Benjamin D. G., Meyrand, Romain, Squire, Jonathan, Yerger, Evan L.
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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_version_ 1866917905909678080
author David, Vincent
Chandran, Benjamin D. G.
Meyrand, Romain
Squire, Jonathan
Yerger, Evan L.
author_facet David, Vincent
Chandran, Benjamin D. G.
Meyrand, Romain
Squire, Jonathan
Yerger, Evan L.
contents We derive a set of simplified equations that can be used for numerical studies of reduced magnetohydrodynamic turbulence within a small patch of the radially expanding solar wind. We allow the box to be either stationary in the Sun's frame or to be moving at an arbitrary velocity along the background magnetic field lines, which we take to be approximately radial. We focus in particular on the case in which the box moves at the same speed as outward-propagating Alfvén waves. To aid in the design and optimization of future numerical simulations, we express the equations in terms of scalar potentials and Clebsch coordinates. The equations we derive will be particularly useful for conducting high-resolution numerical simulations of reflection-driven magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the solar wind, and may also be useful for studying turbulence within other astrophysical outflows.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2501_17702
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Generalized Expanding-Box Formulations of Reduced Magnetohydrodynamics in the Solar Wind
David, Vincent
Chandran, Benjamin D. G.
Meyrand, Romain
Squire, Jonathan
Yerger, Evan L.
Plasma Physics
Space Physics
We derive a set of simplified equations that can be used for numerical studies of reduced magnetohydrodynamic turbulence within a small patch of the radially expanding solar wind. We allow the box to be either stationary in the Sun's frame or to be moving at an arbitrary velocity along the background magnetic field lines, which we take to be approximately radial. We focus in particular on the case in which the box moves at the same speed as outward-propagating Alfvén waves. To aid in the design and optimization of future numerical simulations, we express the equations in terms of scalar potentials and Clebsch coordinates. The equations we derive will be particularly useful for conducting high-resolution numerical simulations of reflection-driven magnetohydrodynamic turbulence in the solar wind, and may also be useful for studying turbulence within other astrophysical outflows.
title Generalized Expanding-Box Formulations of Reduced Magnetohydrodynamics in the Solar Wind
topic Plasma Physics
Space Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2501.17702