Probability Distribution Functions of Field Variations, Non-Gaussianity and Intermittency in the Turbulent Solar Wind

提议者计划通过对ACE、Wind和Helios 2航天器数据应用统计分析技术来研究太阳风湍流。具体来说，她将分析磁场概率分布函数（PDF），以寻求不稳定性和太阳风等离子体结构偏离高斯分布的原因。她希望确定相位相关性或光谱可变性是否是观测到的磁场变化的非高斯PDF的主要原因。在这项研究中，她将把她以前的非高斯PDF计算和建模扩展到更广泛的太阳风参数，测试随机相位和相位相关模型。因此，提议者将产生这些PDF的理论预测，从最大到最小的分离尺度，并提供可变性和相位相关性对这种概率分布函数的非高斯性质的相对影响的确定性测试。提议者解释说，她的间歇性湍流新模型对于估计太阳风高能粒子的散射和量化太阳风磁场线的分散将是有价值的。 她指出，这些信息对于准确预测地球太阳高能粒子强度的空间天气至关重要。作为一名女性科学家，提议者是太阳物理学中代表性不足的群体的一员。因此，资助这项研究将有助于扩大该领域的多样性。

The proposer plans to study solar wind turbulence by applying statistical analysis techniques to ACE, Wind, and Helios 2 spacecraft data. Specifically, she will analyze magnetic field probability distribution functions (PDFs) in order to seek the causes of intermittency and the departures of solar wind plasma structures from Gaussian profiles. She expects to determine whether phase correlation or spectral variability is the main cause of observed non-Gaussian PDFs of magnetic field variations. In this investigation, she will extend her prior calculations and modeling of non-Gaussian PDFs to a broader range of solar wind parameters, testing both random-phase and phase-correlated models. The proposer will thereby produce theoretical predictions of these PDFs, from the largest to the smallest separation scales, and provide definitive tests of the relative impacts of variability and phase correlations on the non-Gaussian nature of such probability distribution functions. The proposer explains that her new model of intermittent turbulence will be valuable for estimating the scattering of solar wind energetic particles and for quantifying the dispersal of solar wind magnetic field lines. She notes that such information is crucial to accurate space weather predictions of solar energetic particle intensities at the Earth. As a female scientist, the proposer is a member of an underrepresented group in solar physics. Therefore, funding this research will contribute to broadening diversity in the field.