Modeling the turbulent cross-helicity evolution: Production, dissipation, and transport rates

Abstract

It has been recognized that the turbulent cross helicity (correlation between the velocity and magnetic-field fluctuations) can play an important role in several magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) plasma phenomena such as the global magnetic-field generation, turbulence suppression, etc. Despite its relevance to the cross-helicity evolution, little attention has been paid to the dissipation rate of the turbulent cross helicity, $\epsilon_W$. In this paper, we consider the model expression for the dissipation rate of the turbulent cross helicity. In addition to the algebraic model, an evolution equation of $\epsilon_W$ is proposed on the basis of the statistical analytical theory of inhomogeneous turbulence. A turbulence model with the modeling of $\epsilon_W$ is applied to the solar-wind turbulence. Numerical results on the large-scale evolution of the cross helicity is compared with the satellite observations. It is shown that, as far as the solar-wind application is concerned, the simplest possible algebraic model for $\epsilon_W$ is sufficient for elucidating the large-scale spatial evolution of the solar-wind turbulence. Dependence of the cross-helicity evolution on the large-scale velocity structures such as velocity shear and flow expansion is also discussed.