Characterization of the compressible fluctuations in the Alfvénic and non-Alfvénic solar wind

Authors: C.A. González(UT Austin), C. Gonzalez(UT Austin), A. Tenerani(UT Austin)

In this work, we investigate the statistical properties of compressible fluctuations in solar wind streams dominated by balanced or imbalanced Alfvénic turbulence. We classified the streams based on the dominance of outward or counter-propagating fluctuations, distinguishing between Alfvénic and non-Alfvénic intervals. Using in-situ measurements from the Wind, Solar Orbiter, and Parker Solar Probe missions, we analyze the scale dependence of compressibility across different regions of the heliosphere and examine its relationship with fluctuation amplitude and plasma beta. We also explored the radial evolution of the correlation between magnetic compressibility and density fluctuations, providing insights into the nature of compressible modes in the solar wind. This study presents a comprehensive characterization of compressibility in the solar wind and its evolution with heliocentric distance.