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On capture and acceleration of heavy ions (α-particle) in high-speed solar wind

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Abstract

The α-particles and other heavy ions, as well as a few protons are observed to be faster than the main part of protons by about the local Alfven speed in the high-speed solar wind. It is suggested that when the velocity of the solar wind is equal to the local Alfven velocity, another low-frequency kinetic Alfven wave will be excitated, and trap all the α-particles and a few protons, so these ions have a local Alfven velocity faster than the other parts of the solar wind. The undamping kinetic Alfven waves change into low-frequency Alfven solitons in the solar wind. This model can explain the observation and give the conditions of wave excitated and ions trapped.

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Song, L., Xiao, C. On capture and acceleration of heavy ions (α-particle) in high-speed solar wind. Sci. China Ser. A-Math. 45, 385–393 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1360/02ys9040

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1360/02ys9040

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