What determines the properties of solar wind turbulence on kinetic scales, and what is the origin of the suprathermal electrons in the solar wind electron velocity distribution functions (evdfs) are…

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) awarded a $133,026 grant for research to the University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a public research university. The grant supports an investigation into two unsolved problems related to solar wind turbulence and suprathermal electrons in the solar wind electron velocity distribution functions. The research aims to advance the understanding of the origin and evolution of the solar wind, which is a key focus area for the upcoming NASA Parker Solar Probe (SPP) and Solar Orbiter (SO) missions. The award is not associated with a set-aside program. As a prominent research institution, UAH has extensive experience supporting NASA and other government agencies through contracts and grants focused on space science, atmospheric research, and other technical domains.

What determines the properties of solar wind turbulence on kinetic scales, and what is the origin of the suprathermal electrons in the solar wind electron velocity distribution functions (evdfs) are two unsolved problems which are essential to the understanding of the origin and evolution of the solar wind. Our recent studies show that these two problems can be understood in a UNI fied scenario in which KEV electron streams in the corona, possibly produced by nanoflares, can trigger electron two-stream instability (etsi). The nonlinear evolution of the etsi can produce a population of suprathermal electrons and kinetic scale turbulence, in agreement with observations. We propose to CON tinue this study with a focus on how local plasma environment in the corona and solar wind affects the evolution of kinetic properties of the solar wind as IT travels out of the corona and in the interplanetary space to LAU. The pro posed study will be very important for the complete understanding of the role nanoflares and local processes play in the formation and evolution of electron halo in the evdf, and the generation of kinetic alfven wave and whistler wave turbulence in the solar wind. The proposed research will make direct contribu tions to the understanding of the origin and acceleration of solar wind-the core science of the near future NASA spacecrafts SPP and so, and a top priority in the NASA heliophysics roadmap and heliophysics decadal survey.