Effect of nonlinear coupling of right and left circularly polarized Hall magnetohydrodynamic modes on filamentation processes in the solar wind

摘要

This paper presents the model equations, governing the coupling of the right and left circularly polarized Alfven waves, using Hall magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) equations. The solution of these model equations has been obtained by using analytical and numerical methods to study the effect of their mutual nonlinear interaction on filament formation, the critical size of the filaments and the threshold in the compressible Hall MHD case. The coupling between the two modes may be so effective that the formation of periodic filaments, separated by a distance of the order of 900 kms and a transverse size of the order of 2.3x10(5) kms, can be predicted for typical solar wind parameters. The effect of coupling on Faraday rotation and ellipticity has also been studied. Its effect on solar wind turbulence has been pointed out. (C) 2003 American Institute of Physics. [References: 24]