On the evolution of a nonlinear Alfvén pulse
1999; Cambridge University Press; Volume: 62; Issue: 2 Linguagem: Inglês
10.1017/s0022377899007771
ISSN1469-7807
AutoresE. Verwichte, V. M. Nakariakov, A. W. Longbottom,
Tópico(s)Geomagnetism and Paleomagnetism Studies
ResumoThe temporal evolution of weakly nonlinear, plane, linearly polarized Alfvén pulses in a cold homogeneous plasma is investigated. A static initial pulse-like disturbance in transverse velocity produces two Alfvén pulses that travel in opposite directions along the magnetic field. The ponderomotive force of the two pulses produces a static shock in longitudinal velocity at the starting position. The travelling pulses form a shock front that is governed by the scalar Cohen–Kulsrud equation. We find good agreement between the analytical solutions we derive and the results from a fully nonlinear numerical MHD code.
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