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Dalla, S

Publications and source records attributed to Dalla, S.

CROSS-FIELD TRANSPORT OF SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLES IN A LARGE-SCALE FLUCTUATING MAGNETIC FIELD

The trajectories of solar energetic particles in an interplanetary magnetic field exhibiting large-scale fluctuations due to footpoint motions originating in the photosphere are simulated using a full-orbit test-particle code. The cross-field transport experienced by the particles in three propagation conditions (scatter-free, with scattering mean free path {lambda} = 0.3 AU and {lambda} = 2 AU) is characterized in the Parker spiral geometry. The role of expansion of the magnetic field with radial distance from the Sun is taken into consideration in the calculation of particle displacements and diffusion coefficients from the output of the simulations. It is found that transport across the magnetic field is enhanced in the {lambda} = 0.3 AU and {lambda} = 2 AU cases, compared to the scatter-free case. Values of the ratios of perpendicular to parallel diffusion coefficients vary between 0.01 and 0.08. The ratio of latitudinal to longitudinal diffusion coefficient perpendicular to the magnetic field is typically 0.2, suggesting that transport in latitude may be less efficient.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

ENERGETIC PARTICLE DIFFUSION IN STRUCTURED TURBULENCE

In the full-orbit particle simulations of energetic particle transport in plasmas, the plasma turbulence is typically described as a homogeneous superposition of linear Fourier modes. The turbulence evolution is, however, typically a nonlinear process, and, particularly in the heliospheric context, the solar wind plasma is inhomogeneous due to the transient structures, as observed by remote and in situ measurements. In this work, we study the effects of the inhomogeneities on energetic particle transport by using spatially distributed, superposed turbulence envelopes. We find that the cross-field transport is significantly reduced, when compared to the results obtained with homogeneous turbulence. The reduction can reach an order of magnitude when the enveloping breaks the wave phase coherence along the mean magnetic field direction.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗