Non‐WKB evolution of solar wind fluctuations: A turbulence modeling approach

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Abstract
Recent observations indicate systematic changes in the interplanetary inertial range velocity‐magnetic field correlation with increasing heliocentric distance. Here, we outline a multiple length scale model for the evolution of the small scale fluctuations due to local nonlinear couplings as well as couplings to large scale gradients, an approach similar to that used in turbulence modeling of inhomogeneous shear flows. A simple special case solution is given, indicating that couplings to large scale flow gradients can cause radial evolution of the type seen in observations. The strongest couplings of this type are linear and do not appear in the usual WKB orderings. The relationship of our approach to WKB theory is not fully understood at present.

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