Methods for Characterising Microphysical Processes in Plasmas

Thierry Dudok de Wit (1) , Olga Alexandrova (2) , I. Furno (3) , L. Sorriso-Valvo (4) , G. Zimbardo (5)

1 LPC2E - Laboratoire de Physique et Chimie de l'Environnement et de l'Espace
2 LESIA - Laboratoire d'études spatiales et d'instrumentation en astrophysique = Laboratory of Space Studies and Instrumentation in Astrophysics
3 EPFL - Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne
4 IPCF - Instituto per i Processi Chimico-Fisici [Roma]
5 Unical - Università della Calabria [Arcavacata di Rende]

Advanced spectral and statistical data analysis techniques have greatly contributed to shaping our understanding of microphysical processes in plasmas. We review some of the main techniques that allow for characterising fluctuation phenomena in geospace and in laboratory plasma observations. Special emphasis is given to the commonalities between different disciplines, which have witnessed the development of similar tools, often with differing terminologies. The review is phrased in terms of few important concepts: self-similarity, deviation from self-similarity (i.e. intermittency and coherent structures), wave-turbulence, and anomalous transport.

Keywords: Data analysis methods; Plasma turbulence; Plasma fluctuations

Domains: Astrophysics [astro-ph]; Plasma Physics [physics.plasm-ph]

Thierry Dudok de Wit, Olga Alexandrova, I. Furno, L. Sorriso-Valvo, G. Zimbardo. Methods for Characterising Microphysical Processes in Plasmas. Space Science Reviews, 2013, 178 (2-4), pp.665-693. ⟨10.1007/s11214-013-9974-9⟩. ⟨insu-01256308⟩