The ion cyclotron turbulence generated by a low frequency kinetic Alfven wave and turbulent heating of ions

The ion cyclotron instability driven by a strong kinetic Alfven wave is investigated as a possible source of anisotropic heating of ions in the sun's corona. We present a novel model of a plasma with coupled inhomogeneous current and shearing flow, which results from the particle's motion in the electric field of the kinetic Alfven wave of finite wavelength. The investigation is performed employing the non-modal kinetic theory grounded on the shearing mode approach. The solution of the governing linear integral equation for the perturbed potential displays that the flow velocity shear, which for the corona conditions may be above the growth rate of the ion cyclotron instability in the plasma with steady current, changes the exponential growth of the ion cyclotron potential on the power function of time, that impedes the growth of the unstable ion cyclotron wave and reduces the turbulent heating rate of ions across the magnetic field. Published by AIP Publishing.