Nearly incompressible fluid dynamics

Abstract

An evaluation is made of general theoretical models pertinent to investigations of both compressible and incompressible MHD turbulence in the solar wind. It is noted that the underlying incompressible description for turbulence investigations in the solar wind should be 2D incompressible MHD, rather than the usual 3D description. 'Nearly incompressible' MHD can account for the observed density, temperature, and magnetic fluctuation spectra; the density fluctuations are found to be partially slaved to the magnetic field fluctuations, as well as to be generated by the incompressible flow field.