Colloid-like behavior and topological phase transitions in space plasmas: Intermittent low frequency turbulence in the auroral zone

We describe a theory of topological phase transitions for dynamical space plasma systems far from equilibrium. The theory is based on the concepts of resonances and coherent structures. When conditions are favorable, the coherent structures may merge, interact and evolve into forced and/or self-organized critical topological states [FSOC]. First and second order phase changes may set in as the dynamical system evolves from one critical state to another, or from a critical state to a non-critical state, or when dynamical instabilities develop. The phenomenon resembles that of the behavior of stirred colloidal suspensions. These ideas are applied to the explanation of the development of broad-band power-law electric field spectral densities of the intermittent low-frequency fluctuations commonly observed in the auroral zone.