Publication: Magnetic field line random walk and solar energetic particle path lengths: Stochastic theory and PSP/IS IS observations
Issued Date
2021-06-01
Resource Type
ISSN
14320746
00046361
00046361
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-85107395647
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Astronomy and Astrophysics. Vol.650, (2021)
Suggested Citation
R. Chhiber, W. H. Matthaeus, C. M.S. Cohen, D. Ruffolo, W. Sonsrettee, P. Tooprakai, A. Seripienlert, P. Chuychai, A. V. Usmanov, M. L. Goldstein, D. J. McComas, R. A. Leske, J. R. Szalay, C. J. Joyce, A. C. Cummings, E. C. Roelof, E. R. Christian, R. A. Mewaldt, A. W. Labrador, J. Giacalone, N. A. Schwadron, D. G. Mitchell, M. E. Hill, M. E. Wiedenbeck, R. L. McNutt, M. I. Desai Magnetic field line random walk and solar energetic particle path lengths: Stochastic theory and PSP/IS IS observations. Astronomy and Astrophysics. Vol.650, (2021). doi:10.1051/0004-6361/202039816 Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/20.500.14594/76861
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Title
Magnetic field line random walk and solar energetic particle path lengths: Stochastic theory and PSP/IS IS observations
Author(s)
R. Chhiber
W. H. Matthaeus
C. M.S. Cohen
D. Ruffolo
W. Sonsrettee
P. Tooprakai
A. Seripienlert
P. Chuychai
A. V. Usmanov
M. L. Goldstein
D. J. McComas
R. A. Leske
J. R. Szalay
C. J. Joyce
A. C. Cummings
E. C. Roelof
E. R. Christian
R. A. Mewaldt
A. W. Labrador
J. Giacalone
N. A. Schwadron
D. G. Mitchell
M. E. Hill
M. E. Wiedenbeck
R. L. McNutt
M. I. Desai
W. H. Matthaeus
C. M.S. Cohen
D. Ruffolo
W. Sonsrettee
P. Tooprakai
A. Seripienlert
P. Chuychai
A. V. Usmanov
M. L. Goldstein
D. J. McComas
R. A. Leske
J. R. Szalay
C. J. Joyce
A. C. Cummings
E. C. Roelof
E. R. Christian
R. A. Mewaldt
A. W. Labrador
J. Giacalone
N. A. Schwadron
D. G. Mitchell
M. E. Hill
M. E. Wiedenbeck
R. L. McNutt
M. I. Desai
Other Contributor(s)
California Institute of Technology
Chulalongkorn University
University of New Hampshire Durham
University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Mahidol University
The University of Arizona
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Princeton University
The University of Texas at San Antonio
The Bartol Research Institute
National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand
Panyapiwat Institute of Management
Chulalongkorn University
University of New Hampshire Durham
University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC)
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory
Mahidol University
The University of Arizona
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Princeton University
The University of Texas at San Antonio
The Bartol Research Institute
National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand
Panyapiwat Institute of Management
Abstract
Context. In 2020 May-June, six solar energetic ion events were observed by the Parker Solar Probe/IS IS instrument suite at ≈0.35 AU from the Sun. From standard velocity-dispersion analysis, the apparent ion path length is ≈0.625 AU at the onset of each event. Aims. We develop a formalism for estimating the path length of random-walking magnetic field lines to explain why the apparent ion path length at an event onset greatly exceeds the radial distance from the Sun for these events. Methods. We developed analytical estimates of the average increase in path length of random-walking magnetic field lines, relative to the unperturbed mean field. Monte Carlo simulations of field line and particle trajectories in a model of solar wind turbulence were used to validate the formalism and study the path lengths of particle guiding-center and full-orbital trajectories. The formalism was implemented in a global solar wind model, and the results are compared with ion path lengths inferred from IS IS observations. Results. Both a simple estimate and a rigorous theoretical formulation are obtained for field-lines' path length increase as a function of path length along the large-scale field. From simulated field line and particle trajectories, we find that particle guiding centers can have path lengths somewhat shorter than the average field line path length, while particle orbits can have substantially longer path lengths due to their gyromotion with a nonzero effective pitch angle. Conclusions. The long apparent path length during these solar energetic ion events can be explained by (1) a magnetic field line path length increase due to the field line random walk and (2) particle transport about the guiding center with a nonzero effective pitch angle due to pitch angle scattering. Our formalism for computing the magnetic field line path length, accounting for turbulent fluctuations, may be useful for application to solar particle transport in general.