MHD-Kinetic Transition in Imbalanced Alfvénic Turbulence

Abstract

Alfvénic turbulence in space is usually imbalanced: amplitudes of waves propagating parallel and anti-parallel to the mean magnetic field {{\boldsymbol{B}}}₀ are unequal. It is commonly accepted that the turbulence is driven by (counter-)collisions between these counter-propagating wave fractions. Contrary to this, we found a new ion-scale dynamical range of the turbulence established by (co-)collisions among waves co-propagating in the same direction along {{\boldsymbol{B}}}₀. Co-collisions become stronger than counter-collisions and produce steep non-universal spectra above certain wavenumbers dependent on the imbalance. Spectral indexes of the strong turbulence vary around ≳ -3, such that steeper spectra follow larger imbalances. Intermittency steepens the -3 spectra further, up to -3.7. Our theoretical predictions are compatible with steep variable spectra observed in the solar wind at ion kinetic scales, but further verifications are needed by correlating observed spectra with measured imbalances.