THOR, Turbulence heating ObserveR

0446621 - ÚFA 2016 CZ eng A - Abstract
Vaivads, A. - Souček, Jan
THOR, Turbulence heating ObserveR.
26th IUGG General Assembly 2015. Earth and Environmental Sciences for Future Generations : abstracts. Prague: International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics, 2015. A28p-277.
[Earth and Environmental Sciences for Future Generations. General Assembly of International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics /26./. 22.06.2015-02.07.2015, Prague]
Institutional support: RVO:68378289
Keywords : plasma turbulence
Subject RIV: DG - Athmosphere Sciences, Meteorology
http://www.iugg2015prague.com/abstractcd/data/HtmlApp/main.html#0

Turbulence Heating ObserveR - THOR is a mission proposal in response to ESA M4 call to address one of the most fundamental but also one of the least understood physical processes in the universe:turbulent energy dissipation and particle energization. Almost all visible matter in space is in plasma state and most of the energetic processes in the universe occur in plasma environments. Most of those plasma environments are in a turbulent state where turbulent fluctuations are continuously generated and dissipated. Energy is cascaded from larger to smaller scales where it may heat plasma and accelerate particles. For example, solar wind turbulence is driven at large scales close to Sun and through cascading to smaller and smaller scales turbulence dissipates at kinetic scales throughout the whole heliosphere. In contrast, turbulent fluctuations at shocks may be generated at kinetic scales and they may dissipate very close to their generation region. In general, the dissipation due to the turbulent fluctuations is believed to be one of the main processes of plasma heating and particle acceleration in different astrophysical as well as laboratory plasma environments. THOR would be the first mission ever flown in space dedicated to plasma turbulence. THOR will address the fundamental science theme 'Turbulent energy dissipation and particle energization' which ties in with ESA’s Cosmic Vision. In particular, THOR will address the following specific science questions: How is plasma heated and particles accelerated? How is the dissipated energy partitioned? How does dissipation operate in different regimes of turbulence? For more information see http://thor.irfu.se.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0248911