Alfvén waves in the solar atmosphere

We examine the propagation of Alfvén waves in the solar atmosphere. The principal theoretical virtues of this work are: (i) The full wave equation is solved without recourse to the small-wavelength eikonal approximation (ii) The background solar atmosphere is realistic, consisting of an HSRA/VAL representation of the photosphere and chromosphere, a 200 km thick transition region, a model for the upper transition region below a coronal hole (provided by R. Munro), and the Munro-Jackson model of a polar coronal hole. The principal results are:

1. If the wave source is taken to be near the top of the convection zone, where n _H = 5.2 × 10¹⁶ cm^?3, and if B _⊙ = 10.5 G, then the wave Poynting flux exhibits a series of strong resonant peaks at periods downwards from 1.6 hr. The resonant frequencies are in the ratios of the zeroes of J ₀, but depend on B _⊙, and on the density and scale height at the wave source. The longest period peaks may be the most important, because they are nearest to the supergranular periods and to the observed periods near 1 AU, and because they are the broadest in frequency.
2. The Poynting flux in the resonant peaks can be large enough, i.e. P _⊙ ≈ 10⁴–10⁵ erg cm^?2s^?1, to strongly affect the solar wind.
3. ¦δv¦ and ¦δB¦ also display resonant peaks.
4. In the chromosphere and low corona, ¦δv ≈ 7–25 kms^?1 and ¦δB¦ ≈0.3–1.0 G if P _⊙≈10⁴-10⁵ erg cm^?2s^?1.
5. The dependences of ¦δv¦ and ¦δB¦ on height are reduced by finite wavelength effects, except near the wave source where they are enhanced.
6. Near the base, ¦δB¦ ≈ 350–1200 G if P _⊙ ～- 10⁴–10⁵. This means that nonlinear effects may be important, and that some density and vertical velocity fluctuations may be associated with the Alfvén waves.
7. Below the low corona most wave energy is kinetic, except near the base where it becomes mostly magnetic at the resonances.
8. ?₀ < δv ² > v _A or < δB ² > v _A/4π are not good estimators of the energy flux.
9. The Alfvén wave pressure tensor will be important in the transition region only if the magnetic field diverges rapidly. But the Alfvén wave pressure can be important in the coronal hole.

     

Alfvén waves in the solar atmosphere

The linearized propagation of axisymmetric twists on axisymmetric vertical flux tubes is considered. Models corresponding to both open (coronal hole) and closed (active region loops) flux tubes are examined. Principal conclusions are: Open flux tubes: (1) With some reservations, the model can account for long-period (T 1 hr) energy fluxes which are sufficient to drive solar wind streams. (2) The waves are predicted to exert ponderomotive forces on the chromosphere which are large enough to alter hydrostatic equilibrium or to drive upward flows. Spicules may be a consequence of these forces. (3) Higher frequency waves (10 s T few min) are predicted to carry energy fluxes which are adequate to heat the chromosphere and corona. Nonlinear mechanisms may provide the damping. Closed flux tubes: (1) Long-period (T 1 hr) twists do not appear to be energetically capable of providing the required heating of active regions. (2) Loop resonances are found to occur as a result of waves being stored in the corona via reflections at the transition zones. The loop resonances act much in the manner of antireflectance coatings on camera lenses, and allow large energy fluxes to enter the coronal loops. The resonances may also be able to account for the observed fact that longer coronal loops require smaller energy flux densities entering them from below. (3) The waves exert large upward and downward forces on the chromosphere and corona.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Discrete Alfvén waves in solar loop prominences

It is shown that a discrete Alfvén wave can explain the natural oscillations of solar loop prominences by considering the existence of a current flow. Discrete Alfvén waves are a new class of Alfvén waves which is described by the inclusion of the finite ion cyclotron frequency (/ _cl 0) and/or the equilibrium plasma current. In this paper we consider only the effect of the current since in solar prominences (/ _cl 0). We have modeled the solar prominences as a cylindrical plasma, surrounded by vacuum (corona), with L a where L and a are the plasma column, length, and radius, respectively. We have calculated the spectrum of the discrete Alfvén waves as function of the magnitude and shape of the plasma current.     

Discrete Alfvén waves in planar flux tubes

Properties of discrete Alfvén wave modes are derived, at frequencies up to the ion-cyclotron frequency, for current-carrying plasma slabs with non-uniform densities. It is shown that the essential features of the dispersion relations can be derived by examining the dominant terms in the potential function, when the wave equation is cast in the Schrödinger equation form. Analytical predictions for a class of mass and current density profiles are compared with numerically calculated dispersion relations and wavefields for particular profiles.     

Current-driven Alfvén waves in dusty magnetospheric plasmas

It is shown that the sheared flow of electrons and ions in the presence of heavy stationary dust gives rise to unstable Alfvén waves. The coupling of newly studied low frequency electrostatic current-driven mode with the electromagnetic Alfvén and drift waves is investigated. The instability conditions and the growth rates of both inertial and kinetic Alfvén waves are estimated. The theoretical model is applied to the night side boundary regions of Jupiter’s magnetosphere which contain positive dust. The growth rates increase with increase in sheared flow speed. In the nonlinear regime, both inertial and kinetic Alfvén waves form dipolar vortices whose speed and amplitude depend upon the magnitude of the zero-order current.     

Kinetic Alfvén waves in extended radio sources

We study a model of extended radio sources (ERS), in particular, extragalactic jets and radio lobes, which are inhomogeneous and where noncompressive Alfvén and surface Alfvén waves (and not shocks and magnetosonic waves) are primarily excited. We assume that a negligible thermal population exists (i.e., the ion density at the low-energy cut-off of the power law distribution is greater than the ion density of the thermal population, if present). Due to internal instabilities and/or the interaction of the ERS with the ambient medium, surface Alfvén waves (SAW) are created. We show that even very small amplitude SAW are mode converted to kinetic Alfvén waves (KAW) which produce large moving accelerating potentials , parallel to the magnetic field. Neglecting nonlinear perturbations, and for typical physical parameters of ERS, we obtaine1 MeV. Wesuggest that these potentials are important in acceleration (e.g., injection energy) and reacceleration of electrons in ERS. We show that energy losses by synchrotron radiation can be compensated by reacceleration by KAW. The relation between KAW acceleration, and previously studied cyclotron-resonance acceleration by Alfvén waves, is discussed.     

Coronal heating by Alfvén waves

Solar Physics - If Alfvén waves are responsible for the heating of the solar corona, what are the various dissipation processes, under what conditions are they important, and what...     

Modulational instability of finite-amplitude Alfvén waves

It is shown that a recent conclusion of Shivamaggi that the modulational instability of finite amplitude Alfvén waves arises when the density cavity travels at subsonic speeds, is incorrect.     

Alfvén waves and the sunspot phenomenon

Parker's explanation of the sunspot phenomenon in terms of the enhanced emission of Alfvén waves (solar vulcanology) is shown to be compatible with observation only if 90% of the waves propagate downwards. Further difficulties arise if the region of cooling by Alfvén wave generation is restricted to a depth of 2 Mm. However, it is shown that, if Alfvén wave generation is included in a recent model proposed by Meyer, Schmidt, Weiss and Wilson, these difficulties may be resolved. The problem of the sharp umbra and penumbra boundaries is discussed and it is shown that features of this combined model are relevant to the flare phenomenon.     

Coronal loop heating by Alfvén waves

The excitation and dissipation of global and surface Alfvén waves and their conversion into kinetic Alfvén waves have been analyzed for solar coronal loops using a cylindrical model of a magnetized plasma. Also the optimal conditions for coronal loop heating regimes with density of dissipated power 10³ erg cm^–3 s^–1 by the new scheme named combined Alfvén wave resonance are found. Combined Alfvén wave heating regime appears when the global Alfvén wave is immersed into the Alfvén continuum with the condition of not-so-sharp distribution of axial current.Instituto de Matemática, Universidade Federal Fluminense, Niterói, RJ, Brazil     

Tunneling and interference of Alfvén waves

The propagation and interference of Alfvén waves in magnetic regions is studied. A multilayer approximation of the standard models of the solar atmosphere is used. In each layer, there is a linear law of temperature variation and a power law of Alfvén velocity variation. The analytical solutions of a wave equation are stitched at the layer boundaries. The low-frequency Alfvén waves (P > 1 s) are able to transfer the energy from sunspots into the corona by tunneling only. The chromosphere is not a resonance filter for the Alfvén waves. The interference and resonance of Alfvén waves are found to be important to wave propagation through the magnetic coronal arches. The transmission coefficient of Alfvén waves into the corona increases sharply on the resonance frequences. To take into account the wave absorption in the corona, a method of equivalent schemes is developed. The heating of a coronal arch by Alfvén waves is discussed.     

Non-linear damping of visco-resistive Alfvén waves in solar spicules

Interaction of Alfvén waves with plasma inhomogeneities generates phase mixing which can lead to dissipate Alfvén waves and to heat the solar plasma. Here we study the dissipation of Alfvén waves by phase mixing due to viscosity and resistivity variations with height. We also consider nonlinear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) equations in our theoretical model. Non-linear terms of MHD equations include perturbed velocity, magnetic field, and density. To investigate the damping of Alfvén waves in a stratified atmosphere of solar spicules, we solve the non-linear MHD equations in the x–z plane. Our simulations show that the damping is enhanced due to viscosity and resistivity gradients. Moreover, energy variations is influenced due to nonlinear terms in MHD equations.     

Torsional Alfvén waves in stratified and expanding magnetic flux tubes

The effects of both density stratification and magnetic field expansion on torsional Alfvén waves in magnetic flux tubes are studied. The frequencies, the period ratio P ₁/P ₂ of the fundamental and its first-overtone, and eigenfunctions of torsional Alfvén modes are obtained. Our numerical results show that the density stratification and magnetic field expansion have opposite effects on the oscillating properties of torsional Alfvén waves.     

Nonlinear Alfvén waves in a plasma with a finite conductivity

Nonlinear Alfvén waves, which in the infinitely conducting plasma are noncompressive and have a constant magnetic field strength (B ²=const), propagate in a turbulent plasma. The latter is characterized by a big (but finite) electrical conductivity _eff due to micro-instabilities. The Alfvén wave in such a medium is governed by the diffusion equation. It is shown that an initial periodic perturbation (withB ²=const) while still being incompressive, decays due to dissipation.     

Non-inductive current driven by Alfvén waves in solar coronal loops

It has been shown that Alfvén waves can drive non-inductive current in solar coronal loops via collisional or collisionless damping. Assuming that all the coronal-loop density of dissipated wave power (W= 10–3 erg cm^–3 s^–1), which is necessary to keep the plasma hot, is due to Alfvén wave electron heating, we have estimated the axial current density driven by Alfvén waves to be jz 10³–10⁵ statA cm^–2. This current can indeed support the quasi-stationary equilibrium and stability of coronal loops and create the poloidal magnetic field up to B 1–5 G.     

Can gravitational effects damp Alfvén waves?

We show that Alfvén-gravity waves propagating in a gravitationally stratified atmosphere do not suffer damping as a result of the rate of working of the gravity drift current on the electric field of the waves. A self-consistent treatment involving conservation of total energy, Poynting's theorem, and the rate of working of the various drift currents on the electric field demonstrates that dissipation only arises from real dissipative processes such as Ohmic heating or viscous effects, otherwise the system is adiabatic.     

On searching for observational manifestations of Alfvén waves in solar faculae

In an effort to detect torsional oscillations, we have studied the periodic half-width variations for several spectral lines in solar faculae. The duration of the series being analyzed was from 40 to 150 min. We have determined the dominant frequencies and amplitudes of the half-width oscillations and considered their phase relations to the intensity and line-of-sight velocity oscillations. Five-minute profile halfwidth oscillations with a peak-to-peak amplitude of ～10 m ?A are recorded with confidence in the upperphotospheric Si I 10 827 ?A line in faculae. The chromospheric He I 10 830 A? and Hα line profiles shows ～40–60 m ?A variations in two frequency bands, 2.5–4 and 1–1.9 mHz. No center-to-limb dependence that, according to the theory, must accompany the torsional oscillations has been revealed in the behavior of the oscillation amplitudes. According to present views, these variations cannot be caused by periodic temperature and magnetic field changes. Our observations do not allow us to explain these variations by the sausage mode action either, which should manifest itself at the double frequency.     

Nonlinear dynamics of Landau damped kinetic Alfvén waves

In the present paper we have studied the nonlinear dynamical equation of Landau damped kinetic Alfvén wave (KAW) to investigate the nonlinear evolution of KAW and the resulting turbulent spectra in solar wind plasmas. We have introduced a parameter g which governs the coupling between the amplitude of the pump KAW and the density perturbation. The numerical solution has been carried out to see the dependence on the parameter g in the nonlinear part of our equation. Our results reveal the formation of damped localized structures of KAW as well as steepening of the turbulent spectra by increasing g when damping is taken into account. The power spectra of magnetic field fluctuations indicate the redistribution of energy among the higher wave numbers. Each power spectrum with and without damping splits up into two different scaling ranges, Kolmogorov scaling followed by a steeper scaling. The steepening in the power spectra with Landau damping is more than without Landau damping case (for the same value of g). This type of steeper spectra has also been observed in the solar wind and is attributed to the Landau damping effects.