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In this work, we perform direct numerical simulations of three-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics with a background magnetic field, representing solar wind plasma, and introduce test particles to explore how a turbulent electromagnetic environment affects them. Our focus is on the terms of the electric field present in the generalized Ohm's law that is usually dismissed as unimportant. These are the Hall and the electronic pressure (EP) terms, but we concentrate primarily on the latter. We discover that the EP term generates an acceleration of the particles, which represent protons, in the direction parallel to the background magnetic field, in contrast to the known preferential perpendicular energization. By studying the electric field itself, we are able to detect the type of structures of the EP field that produce such parallel acceleration. These are thin and elongated structures placed on top of a monotonic and near-zero background. A statistical study to understand the real significance of the electronic pressure term is also performed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The method called 'PVI' (Partial Variance of Increments) has been increasingly used in analysis of spacecraft and numerical simulation data since its inception in 2008. The purpose of the method is to study the kinematics and formation of coherent structures in space plasmas, a topic that has gained considerable attention, leading the development of identification methods, observations, and associated theoretical research based on numerical simulations. This review paper will summarize key features of the method and provide a synopsis of the main results obtained by various groups using the method. This will enable new users or those considering methods of this type to find details and background collected in one place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of compressibility in a charged particle energization by magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) fields is studied in the context of test particle simulations. This problem is relevant to the solar wind and the solar corona due to the compressible nature of the flow in those astrophysical scenarios. We consider turbulent electromagnetic fields obtained from direct numerical simulations of the MHD equations with a strong background magnetic field. In order to explore the flow compressibility effect over the particle dynamics, we performed different numerical experiments: an incompressible case and two weak compressible cases with Mach number M = 0.1 and M = 0.25. We analyze the behavior of protons and electrons in those turbulent fields, which are well known to form aligned current sheets in the direction of the guide magnetic field. What we call protons and electrons are test particles with scales comparable to (for protons) and much smaller than (for electrons) the dissipative scale of MHD turbulence, maintaining the correct mass ratio me/mi. For these test particles, we show that compressibility enhances the efficiency of proton acceleration, and that the energization is caused by perpendicular electric fields generated between currents sheets. On the other hand, electrons remain magnetized and display an almost adiabatic motion, with no effect of compressibility observed. Another set of numerical experiments takes into account two fluid modifications, namely, electric field due to Hall effect and electron pressure gradient. We show that the electron pressure has an important contribution to electron acceleration allowing highly parallel energization. In contrast, no significant effect of these additional terms is observed for the protons. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correlation anisotropy emerges dynamically in magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), producing stronger gradients across the large-scale mean magnetic field than along it. This occurs both globally and locally, and has significant implications in space and astrophysical plasmas, including particle scattering and transport, and theories of turbulence. Properties of local correlation anisotropy are further documented here by showing through numerical experiments that the effect is intensified in more localized estimates of the mean field. The mathematical formulation of this property shows that local anisotropy mixes second-order with higher order correlations. Sensitivity of local statistical estimates to higher order correlations can be understood in connection with the stochastic coordinate system inherent in such formulations. We demonstrate this in specific cases, and illustrate the connection to higher order statistics by showing the sensitivity of local anisotropy to phase randomization, after which the global measure of anisotropy is recovered at all scales of averaging. This establishes that anisotropy of the local structure function is not a measure of anisotropy of the energy spectrum. Evidently, the local enhancement of correlation anisotropy is of substantial fundamental interest and must be understood in terms of higher order correlations, specifically fourth-order and above. Key words: interplanetary medium Correlation anisotropy emerges dynamically in magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), producing stronger gradients across the large-scale mean magnetic field than along it. This occurs both globally and locally, and has significant implications in space and astrophysical plasmas, including particle scattering and transport, and theories of turbulence. Properties of local correlation anisotropy are further documented here by showing through numerical experiments that the effect is intensified in more localized estimates of the mean field. The mathematical formulation of this property shows that local anisotropy mixes second-order with higher order correlations. Sensitivity of local statistical estimates to higher order correlations can be understood in connection with the stochastic coordinate system inherent in such formulations. We demonstrate this in specific cases, and illustrate the connection to higher order statistics by showing the sensitivity of local anisotropy to phase randomization, after which the global measure of anisotropy is recovered at all scales of averaging. This establishes that anisotropy of the local structure function is not a measure of anisotropy of the energy spectrum. Evidently, the local enhancement of correlation anisotropy is of substantial fundamental interest and must be understood in terms of higher order correlations, specifically fourth-order and above. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of coherent structures in turbulence is a signature of a developing cascade and therefore might be observable by analyzing inner heliospheric solar wind turbulence. To test this idea, data from the Helios 2 mission, for six streams of solar wind at different heliocentric distances and of different velocities, were subjected to statistical analysis using the partial variance of increments (PVI) approach. We see a clear increase of the PVI distribution function versus solar wind age for higher PVI cutoff, indicating development of non-Gaussian coherent structures. The plausibility of this interpretation is confirmed by a similar behavior observed in two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamics simulation data at corresponding dimensionless nonlinear times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An overview is given of important properties of spatial and temporal intermittency, including evidence of its appearance in fluids, magnetofluids and plasmas, and its implications for understanding of heliospheric plasmas. Spatial intermittency is generally associated with formation of sharp gradients and coherent structures. The basic physics of structure generation is ideal, but when dissipation is present it is usually concentrated in regions of strong gradients. This essential feature of spatial intermittency in fluids has been shown recently to carry over to the realm of kinetic plasma, where the dissipation function is not known from first principles. Spatial structures produced in intermittent plasma influence dissipation, heating, and transport and acceleration of charged particles. Temporal intermittency can give rise to very long time correlations or a delayed approach to steady-state conditions, and has been associated with inverse cascade or quasi-inverse cascade systems, with possible implications for heliospheric prediction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We derive the von Kármán-Howarth equation for a full three-dimensional incompressible two-fluid plasma. In the long-time limit and for very large Reynolds numbers we obtain the equivalent of the hydrodynamic "four-fifths" law. This exact law predicts the scaling of the third-order two-point correlation functions, and puts a strong constraint on the plasma turbulent dynamics. Finally, we derive a simple expression for the 4/5 law in terms of third-order structure functions, which is appropriate for comparison with in situ measurements in the solar wind at different spatial ranges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this work we review some recent studies, in which properties of the magnetic field in high resolution simulations of MHD turbulence with spacecraft data are compared, focusing on methods used to identify classical discontinuities and intermittency statistics. Comparison of ACE solar wind data and simulations of MHD turbulence showed good agreement in waiting-time analysis of magnetic discontinuities, and in the related distribution of magnetic field increments. Further analyses showed that the magnetic discontinuities are not distributed without correlations, but rather that non-Poisson correlations, possibly in the form of burstiness or voids, are present in the data at least up to the typical correlation scale. The discontinuities or bursty coherent structures represent in this view the current sheets that form between magnetic flux tubes which may be a signature of intermittent, anisotropic, fully developed MHD turbulence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]