Publication at Faculty of Mathematics and Physics |
2016
Abstract
Relaxation of solar wind turbulence has been a topic of interest for decades. Many phenomenological laws for the energy decay have been derived and subsequently confirmed in MHD simulation studies.
However, in-situ observations of decay laws is an inherently difficult task. In this study, we use interplanetary shocks because (a) they enhance the level of turbulent fluctuations and (b) they propagate into a pristine solar wind.
Using a few simplifying assumptions, we study the evolution of large-scale energy-containing eddies. We analyze a relaxation of the turbulent energy enhanced by interplanetary shocks and discuss its observed turbulent decay.