Benha University

Mahmoud Saad AFify Ali

Lecturer

Faculty of Science Physics

Impact of nonthermal electron distributions on the triggering of the ion-ion acoustic instability near the Sun: Kinetic simulations

Astronomy & Astrophysics (A&A) • 2025
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Publication Information
Authors Mahmoud Saad Afify; Jürgen Dreher; Stuart O’Neill; and Maria Elena Innocenti
Keywords Kappa-distribution- Strahl electrons- Solar wind- Electrostatic instabilities- Ion acoustic
Journal Astronomy & Astrophysics (A&A)
Publisher Not Available
Volume Not Available
Issue Not Available
Pages Not Available
publication.type International
Paper Link Open Link
Supplementary Materials Not Available
Abstract
Context. We previously investigated the stability threshold of the ion-ion acoustic instability (IIAI) in parameter regimes compatible with recent Parker Solar Probe (PSP) observations, in the presence of a Maxwellian electron distribution. We find that the observed parameters are close to the instability threshold, but IIAI requires a higher electron temperature than what is observed. Aims. As electron distributions in the solar wind present clear non-Maxwellian features, we investigated if deviations from the Maxwellian distribution could explain the observed IIAI. We address specifically the kappa ( ) and core-strahl distributions for the electrons. Methods. We performed analytical studies and kinetic simulations using a Vlasov-Poisson code in a parameter regime relevant to PSP observations. The simulated growth rates were validated against kinetic theory. Results. We show that the IIAI threshold changes in the presence of or core-strahl electron distributions, but not significantly. In the latter case, simulations confirm the expression of an e ective temperature for an equivalent Maxwellian electron distribution. Such an e ective temperature could simplify stability assessments of future observations.
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