Stability analysis of the Gravito-Electrostatic Sheath-based solar plasma equilibrium

Abstract

We present approximate solutions of non-local linear perturbational analysis for discussing the stability properties of the Gravito-Electrostatic Sheath (GES)-based solar plasma equilibrium, which is indeed non-uniform on both the bounded and unbounded scales. The relevant physical variables undergoing perturbations are the self-solar gravity, electrostatic potential and plasma flow along with plasma population density. We methodologically derive linear dispersion relation for the GES fluctuations, and solve it numerically to identify and characterize the existent possible natural normal modes. Three distinct natural normal modes are identified and named as the GES-oscillator mode, GES-wave mode and usual (classical) p-mode. In the solar wind plasma, only the p-mode survives. These modes are found to be linearly unstable in wide-range of the Jeans-normalized wavenumber, k. The local plane-wave approximation marginally limits the validity or reliability of the obtained results in certain radial- and k-domains only. The phase and group velocities, time periods of these fluctuation modes are investigated. It is interesting to note that, the oscillation time periods of these modes are 3–10 min, which match exactly with those of the observed helio-seismic waves and solar surface oscillations. The proposed GES model provides a novel physical view of the waves and oscillations of the Sun from a new perspective of plasma–wall interaction physics. Due to simplified nature of the considered GES equilibrium, it is a neonatal stage to highlight its applicability in the real Sun. The proposed GES model and subsequent fluctuation analysis need further improvements to make it more realistic.