Turbulence, and Proton and Electron Heating Rates in the Solar Corona: Analytical Approach

Abstract

Abstract Analytical solutions for 2D and slab turbulence energies in the solar corona are presented, including a derivation of the corresponding correlation lengths, with implications for the proton and electron temperatures in the solar corona. These solutions are derived by solving the transport equations for 2D and slab turbulence energies and their correlation lengths, as well as proton and electron pressures. The solutions assume background profiles for the solar wind speed, solar wind mass density, and Alfvén velocity. Our analytical solutions can be related to those obtained from joint Parker Solar Probe and Solar Orbiter Metis coronagraph observations, as reported in Telloni et al. We find that the solution for 2D turbulence energy in the absence of nonlinear dissipation decreases more slowly compared to the dissipative solution. The solution for slab turbulence energy with no dissipation exhibits a more rapid increase compared to the dissipative solution. The proton heating rate is found to be about 82% of the total plasma heating rate at 6.3 R ⊙, which gradually decreases with increasing distance, eventually becoming ∼80% of the total plasma heating rate at ∼13 R ⊙, consistent with that found by Bandyopadhyay et al. (2023). These analytical solutions provide valuable insight for our understanding of turbulence, and its effect on proton and electron heating rates, in the solar corona. We compare the numerically solved turbulent transport equations for the 2D and slab turbulence energies, correlation lengths, and proton and electron pressures with the analytical solutions, finding good agreement between them.