Workshop focuses on nonlinear waves and turbulence in space plasmas

Abstract

Nonlinear waves and turbulence have important implications for the dynamics of the oceans, the atmosphere, the plasma regions of the solar system, comets, the interplanetary medium, and the Sun. As in ocean dynamics and atmospheric physics, turbulence and nonlinear waves in plasmas can be described in the magnetohydrodynamic framework by fluid variables such as velocity, density, and temperature complemented by the electromagnetic field. This approximate description often has to be augmented by a kinetic description that involves velocity space distribution functions, however.The purpose of a workshop held last year on nonlinear waves and turbulence in space plasmas was to bring together geophysicists, astrophysicists, plasma physicists, and mathematicians to discuss nonlinear waves and turbulence in space plasmas. About 60 scientists attended, with many from the United States, Europe, Israel, India, China, and Japan. The emphasis of the meeting was on general nonlinear wave theory, nonlinear waves and turbulence in the interplanetary medium, the magnetosheath and foreshock of the Earth, and cometary plasmas. A few talks attempted to link astrophysical plasma regions with nonlinear waves and turbulence in space plasmas.