Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2006/iii/paper-69/2/b/solution

Let . The nonlinear term has two perpendicular spatial derivatives, so its rate relative to the fluctuation amplitude is
The wave period from part (a), using , is . A weak wave cascade requires that one interaction change a packet only slightly:
For interactions with decorrelated phases, successive fractional changes accumulate as a random walk. An order-one change needs , giving
Constant energy flux per unit mass then gives , hence
The weak electron-magnetohydrodynamic cascade scaling uses both locality in scale and the decorrelation assumption; a small amplitude by itself does not specify the cascade time.

New to topics? Read the docs here!