Impact of measurement uncertainties on universal scaling of MHD turbulence

Abstract Quantifying the scaling of fluctuations in the solar wind is central to testing predictions of turbulence theories. We study spectral features of Alfvénic turbulence in fast solar wind. We propose a general, instrument-independent method to estimate the uncertainty in velocity fluctuations...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society 2012-10, Vol.426 (2), p.951-955
Main Authors: Gogoberidze, G., Chapman, S. C., Hnat, B., Dunlop, M. W.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Fluid mechanics
Magnetic fields
Measurement
Solar physics
Solar wind
turbulence
Turbulent flow
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Summary:Abstract Quantifying the scaling of fluctuations in the solar wind is central to testing predictions of turbulence theories. We study spectral features of Alfvénic turbulence in fast solar wind. We propose a general, instrument-independent method to estimate the uncertainty in velocity fluctuations obtained by in situ satellite observations in the solar wind. We show that when the measurement uncertainties of the velocity fluctuations are taken into account the less energetic Elsasser spectrum obeys a unique power law scaling throughout the inertial range as prevailing theories of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence predict. Moreover, in the solar wind interval analysed, the two Elsasser spectra are observed to have the same scaling exponent γ = −1.54 throughout the inertial range.
ISSN:0035-8711
1365-2966
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2966.2012.21775.x