A solar-wind model including proton thermal anisotropy.

Abstract

A model of the solar wind is presented which divides the interplanetary space into two regions. It assumes that the solar wind is one-fluid in an 'inner region' of radius less than 0.4 A, and two-fluid and collisionless in an 'outer region' of radius greater than 0.4 A. The second and third moment equations of the Vlasov equation together with conservation equations are used to govern the solar wind flow in the outer region. The model produces solutions for all macroscopic quantities as well as for the microscopic proton distribution function, both as functions of heliocentric distances up to 50 A. Calculated results at 1 A include the solar wind velocity, electron temperature, proton temperature, proton thermal anisotropy and magnetic field magnitude. They are in good agreement with observations.