HR: 0830h
AN: SH31A-1080    [PDF]
TI: Magnetic waves help heat the solar atmosphere
AU: * Zita, E
EM: zita@evergreen.edu
AF: The Evergreen State College, Lab II - Physics, Olympia, WA 98505 United States
AB: How does the temperature rise to millions of degrees in the corona from under 6000 K at the photosphere? We investigate the role of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves in heating the solar atmosphere. Evergreen students and faculty work with HAO-NCAR on complementary theoretical calculations and analysis of observational and numerical data. Analysis of UV continuum from the SOHO/SUMER satellite reveals that pressure (p-) modes lose power with altitude. We show how the oscillation frequency spectrum varies with magnetic field strength. Energy flux analysis of 3D MHD data reveals that p-modes excite Alfvenic and magnetosonic waves. These modes can carry energy into the chromosphere, where field line reconnection may drive Joule heating. Analytic solutions of the wave equation in twisted and sheared magnetic field geometries may shed light on mode transformations. Taken together, these analyses may help solve the mystery of anomalous coronal heating.
UR: http://academic.evergreen.edu/z/zita/research.htm
DE: 0639 Nonlinear electromagnetics
DE: 7500 SOLAR PHYSICS, ASTROPHYSICS, AND ASTRONOMY
DE: 7507 Chromosphere
DE: 7524 Magnetic fields
DE: 7827 Kinetic and MHD theory
SC: SPA - Solar and Heliospheric Physics [SH]
MN: 2003 Fall Meeting