Multiscale behavior and fractional kinetics from the data of solar wind - magnetosphere coupling

Abstract

Multiscale phenomena are ubiquitous in nature as well in laboratories. A broad range of interacting space and time scales determines the dynamics of many systems which are inherently multiscale. In most research disciplines multiscale phenomena are not only prominent, but also they have often played the dominant role. In the solar wind - magnetosphere interaction, multiscale features coexist along with the global or coherent features. Underlying these phenomena are the mathematical and theoretical approaches such as phase transitions, turbulence, self-organization, fractional kinetics, percolation, etc. The fractional kinetic equations provide a suitable mathematical framework for multiscale behavior. In the fractional kinetic equations the multiscale nature is described through fractional derivatives and the solutions of these equations yield non-convergent moments, showing strong multiscale behavior. Using a Lévy-flights approach, we analyze the data of the magnetosphere and the solar wind. Based on this analysis we propose a model of the multiscale features and compare it with the solutions of diffusion type equations. The equation with fractional spatial derivative shows strong multiscale behavior with divergent moments. On the other hand the equation with space dependent diffusion coefficients yield convergent moments, indicating Gaussian type solutions and absence of long tails typically associated with multiscale behavior.