Coexistence of Antisunward and Sunward Ion Cyclotron Waves in the Near-Sun Solar Wind: Excitation by the Proton Cyclotron Instability

Abstract

Based on observations from the Parker Solar Probe in the near-Sun solar wind, this study identifies an ion-scale wave event characterized by two distinct frequency bands. The lower-band waves exhibit right-hand polarization, while the upper-band waves have left-hand polarization. Alongside these waves, there are clear indications of the existence of both proton core and beam components, with the perpendicular temperature being higher than the parallel temperature in the measured proton velocity distribution functions (VDFs). Utilizing the plasma parameters derived from typical proton VDFs, instability analyses are conducted to investigate the mode nature of the observed waves and their excitation mechanism. The lower-band waves are identified as sunward ion cyclotron waves (ICWs), generated through the proton beam cyclotron instability; the upper-band waves are recognized as antisunward ICWs, induced by the proton core cyclotron instability. This study provides the first direct observational evidence confirming the presence of counterpropagating ICWs and proton cyclotron instability in the solar wind.

Keywords

• Solar wind
• Plasma physics
• Space plasmas