HR: 0800h
AN: SH31A-1151    [Abstracts]
TI: Kappa distribution and Probability Density Functions in Solar Wind
AU: * Jurac, S
EM: jurac@space.mit.edu
AF: M.I.T., MIT 37-675, Cambridge, MA 02139 United States
AB: A signature of a statistical intermittency is the presence of large deviations from the average value: this increased probability of finding extreme deviations is characterized by Probability Density Functions (PDFs) which exhibit non Gaussian power-law tails. Such power-law distributions were observed over decades in biology, chemistry, finance and other fields. Known examples include heartbeat histograms, price distribution, turbulent fluid flow and many other non-equilibrium systems. It is shown that the Kappa distribution represents a good description of PDFs observed in Solar wind. The asymmetric fluctuations in variance over time observed in solar wind PDFs are Gamma distributed. It is shown that, by assuming such a distribution of variance, the Kappa distribution can be analitically derived.
DE: 2134 Interplanetary magnetic fields
DE: 2139 Interplanetary shocks
DE: 2159 Plasma waves and turbulence
DE: 2164 Solar wind plasma
SC: SPA-Solar and Heliospheric Physics [SH]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting