Nonlinear dynamics of small-scale Alfven waves

We study the nonlinear evolution of very oblique small-scale Alfven waves with k(sic) d(i) >= 1. At these scales, the waves become significantly compressive, unlike in magnetohydrodynamics, due to the Hall term in the equations. We demonstrate that when frequencies are small compared to the ion gyrofrequency and amplitudes are small compared to unity, no new nonlinear interaction appears due to the Hall term alone at the lowest non-trivial order, even when k(sic) d(i) >= 1. However, at the second non-trivial order, we discover that the Hall physics leads to a slow but resonant nonlinear interaction between co-propagating Alfven waves, an inherently three-dimensional effect. Including the effects of finite temperature, finite frequency, and electron inertia, the two-fluid Alfven wave also becomes dispersive once one or more of k((sic)) rho(s), k((sic))de, or k(||)d(i) becomes significant: for oblique waves at low beta as studied here, this can be at a much smaller scale than d(i). We show that the timescale for one-dimensional steepening of two-fluid Alfven waves is only significant at these smaller dispersive scales, and also derive an expression for the amplitude of driven harmonics of a primary wave. Importantly, both new effects are absent in gyrokinetics and other commonly used reduced two-fluid models. Our calculations have relevance for the interpretation of laboratory Alfven wave experiments, as well as shedding light on the physics of turbulence in the solar corona and inner solar wind, where the dominant nonlinear interaction between counter-propagating waves is suppressed, allowing these new effects to become important.