ASYMPTOTIC THEORY OF SOLAR WIND ELECTRONS

Abstract

This paper presents a theory for the asymptotically steady-state solar wind electron velocity distribution function (VDF) in a local equilibrium with plasma wave turbulence. By treating the local solar wind electron VDF as a superposition of three populations—the low-energy Maxwellian core electrons with an energy range of tens of eV, the intermediate –103 eV energy-range halo electrons, and the high –105 eV energy-range superhalo electrons—the present paper puts forth a model in which the halo electrons are in dynamical steady state with the pervasive whistler fluctuations, while the superhalo electrons maintain dynamical steady-state equilibrium with the Langmuir fluctuations, known as the quasi-thermal noise. Customary models of the solar wind electrons include only the Maxwellian core and the halo (plus highly field-aligned strahl). While the present paper does not consider the strahl population in the discussion, the highly energetic superhalo component, which is observed to be present in all solar conditions, is explicitly taken into account as part of the total solar wind electron model. Comparisons with STEREO and WIND spacecraft observations are also made.