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Direct numerical simulations of three-dimensional compressible magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) turbulence have been performed in order to study the relation between wave modes and coherent structures and the consequent energization of test particles. Moreover, the question of which is the main mechanism of this particle energization is rigorously discussed. In particular, using the same initial conditions, we analyzed the nonlinear and linear evolution of a turbulent state along with the case of randomized phases. Then, the behaviors of the linear and nonlinear simulations were compared through the study of the time evolution of particle kinetic energy and preferential concentration. Also, spatiotemporal spectra were used to identify the presence of wave modes and quantify the fraction of energy around the MHD modes in linear and nonlinear simulations. Finally, the variation of the correlation time of the external forcing is studied in detail along with the effect on the particle energization (and clustering) and the presence of wave modes. More specifically, particle energization tends to decrease when the fraction of linear energy increases, supporting the idea that energization by structures is the dominant mechanism for particle energization instead of resonance with wave modes as suggested by Fermi energization theory. [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., (© 2015 The Author(s) Published by the Royal Society. All rights reserved.)

Magnetic field generation by dynamo action is often studied within the theoretical framework of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). However, for sufficiently diffuse media, the Hall effect may become non-negligible. We present results from three-dimensional simulations of the Hall-MHD equations subjected to random nonhelical forcing. We study the role of the Hall effect in the dynamo efficiency for different values of the Hall parameter. For small values of the Hall parameter, the small-scale dynamo is more efficient, displaying faster growth and saturating at larger amplitudes of the magnetic field. For larger values of the Hall parameter, saturation of the magnetic field is reached at smaller amplitudes than in the MHD case. We also study energy transfer rates among spatial scales and show that the Hall effect produces a reduction of the direct energy cascade at scales larger than the Hall scale, therefore leading to smaller energy dissipation rates. Finally, we present results stemming from simulations at large magnetic Prandtl numbers, which is the relevant regime in the hot and diffuse interstellar medium. In the range of magnetic Prandtl numbers considered, the Hall effect moves the peak of the magnetic energy spectrum as well as other relevant magnetic length scales toward the Hall scale.

We investigate the occurrence of 1/f spectra of low-frequency fluctuations in numerical simulations of three-dimensional hydrodynamic and magnetohydrodynamic turbulence driven by a random forcing with a controlled correlation time. A range of one decade of 1/f spectrum is observed when a strong background magnetic field is present. The frequency spectra of individual Fourier modes is also analyzed and it is observed that the 1/f range is present in the largest available wavelength mode for the magnetohydrodynamic simulations with and without a background magnetic field and it is not observed (or is less clear) for the hydrodynamic case. The presence of 1/f spectra of low-frequency fluctuations is also analyzed for two-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic and hydrodynamic turbulence simulations and it is observed in both cases. The origin of these long period fluctuations is discussed.

We report preliminary results from a series of numerical simulations of the reduced magnetohydrodynamic equations used to describe the dynamics of magnetic loops in active regions of the solar corona. A stationary velocity field is applied at the photospheric boundaries to imitate the driving action of granule motions. A turbulent stationary regime is reached, characterized by a broadband power spectrum Ek approximately k-3&solm0;2 and heating rate levels compatible with the energy requirements of active region loops. A dimensional analysis of the equations indicates that their solutions are determined by two dimensionless parameters: the Reynolds number and the ratio between the Alfvén time and the photospheric turnover time. From a series of simulations for different values of this ratio, we determine how the heating rate scales with the physical parameters of the problem, which might be useful for an observational test of this model.