Magnetospheric Multiscale Observation of Plasma Velocity-Space Cascade: Hermite Representation and Theory

S. Servidio, A. Chasapis, W. H. Matthaeus, D. Perrone, F. Valentini, T. N. Parashar, P. Veltri, D. Gershman, C. T. Russell, B. Giles, S. A. Fuselier, T. D. Phan, and J. Burch
Phys. Rev. Lett. 119, 205101 – Published 16 November 2017
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Abstract

Plasma turbulence is investigated using unprecedented high-resolution ion velocity distribution measurements by the Magnetospheric Multiscale mission (MMS) in the Earth’s magnetosheath. This novel observation of a highly structured particle distribution suggests a cascadelike process in velocity space. Complex velocity space structure is investigated using a three-dimensional Hermite transform, revealing, for the first time in observational data, a power-law distribution of moments. In analogy to hydrodynamics, a Kolmogorov approach leads directly to a range of predictions for this phase-space transport. The scaling theory is found to be in agreement with observations. The combined use of state-of-the-art MMS data sets, novel implementation of a Hermite transform method, and scaling theory of the velocity cascade opens new pathways to the understanding of plasma turbulence and the crucial velocity space features that lead to dissipation in plasmas.

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  • Received 12 June 2017

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevLett.119.205101

© 2017 American Physical Society

Physics Subject Headings (PhySH)

Plasma Physics

Authors & Affiliations

S. Servidio1, A. Chasapis2, W. H. Matthaeus2, D. Perrone3, F. Valentini1, T. N. Parashar2, P. Veltri1, D. Gershman4, C. T. Russell5, B. Giles4, S. A. Fuselier6,7, T. D. Phan8, and J. Burch6

  • 1Dipartimento di Fisica, Università della Calabria, I-87036 Cosenza, Italy
  • 2Bartol Research Institute and Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Delaware, Newark, Delaware 19716, USA
  • 3European Space Agency, ESAC, 28692 Madrid, Spain
  • 4NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland 20771, USA
  • 5University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California 90095, USA
  • 6Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, Texas 78238, USA
  • 7University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78249, USA
  • 8University of California, Berkeley, California 94720, USA

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Issue

Vol. 119, Iss. 20 — 17 November 2017

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