Evolution of Polarization in Localized Nonlinear Alfvén Waves
- 7 December 1987
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Physical Society (APS) in Physical Review Letters
- Vol. 59 (23) , 2639-2642
- https://doi.org/10.1103/physrevlett.59.2639
Abstract
A polarization change of localized and finite-amplitude Alfvén waves is found by use of both MHD theory and numerical simulation. One of the transverse components of the circularly polarized Alfvén wave is stable as it propagates, but the other component is unstable under both self-focusing and diffraction effects. Consequently, the wave changes its polarization from circular to linear.Keywords
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