A solar-wind model including proton thermal anisotropy.

Abstract

A relatively simple model is proposed to study the magnetohydrodynamic expansion of the solar wind. The interplanetary space is divided into an 'inner region' and an 'outer region.' In the inner region the solar wind is one-fluid and thermally isotropic. The solar-wind protons are assumed to be completely collisionless in the outer region. Thus the solar wind is two-fluid in nature, and the protons are thermally anisotropic in the outer region. It is assumed that throughout the interplanetary space electrons are thermally isotropic due to collisions or other processes. The electron heat flux is supposed to obey the well-known relationships that the flux is parallel to the magnetic-field vector and is directly proportional to the spatial derivative of the electron temperature.