82 research outputs found
The effect of twisted magnetic field on the resonant absorption of MHD waves in coronal loops
The standing quasi modes in a cylindrical incompressible flux tube with
magnetic twist that undergoes a radial density structuring is considered in
ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The radial structuring is assumed to be a
linearly varying density profile. Using the relevant connection formulae, the
dispersion relation for the MHD waves is derived and solved numerically to
obtain both the frequencies and damping rates of the fundamental and
first-overtone modes of both the kink (m=1) and fluting (m=2,3) waves. It was
found that a magnetic twist will increase the frequencies, damping rates and
the ratio of the oscillation frequency to the damping rate of these modes. The
period ratio P_1/P_2 of the fundamental and its first-overtone surface waves
for kink (m=1) and fluting (m=2,3) modes is lower than 2 (the value for an
untwisted loop) in the presence of twisted magnetic field. For the kink modes,
particularly, the magnetic twists B_{\phi}/B_z=0.0065 and 0.0255 can achieve
deviations from 2 of the same order of magnitude as in the observations.
Furthermore, for the fundamental kink body waves, the frequency bandwidth
increases with increasing the magnetic twist.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figure
Review article: MHD wave propagation near coronal null points of magnetic fields
We present a comprehensive review of MHD wave behaviour in the neighbourhood
of coronal null points: locations where the magnetic field, and hence the local
Alfven speed, is zero. The behaviour of all three MHD wave modes, i.e. the
Alfven wave and the fast and slow magnetoacoustic waves, has been investigated
in the neighbourhood of 2D, 2.5D and (to a certain extent) 3D magnetic null
points, for a variety of assumptions, configurations and geometries. In
general, it is found that the fast magnetoacoustic wave behaviour is dictated
by the Alfven-speed profile. In a plasma, the fast wave is focused
towards the null point by a refraction effect and all the wave energy, and thus
current density, accumulates close to the null point. Thus, null points will be
locations for preferential heating by fast waves. Independently, the Alfven
wave is found to propagate along magnetic fieldlines and is confined to the
fieldlines it is generated on. As the wave approaches the null point, it
spreads out due to the diverging fieldlines. Eventually, the Alfven wave
accumulates along the separatrices (in 2D) or along the spine or fan-plane (in
3D). Hence, Alfven wave energy will be preferentially dissipated at these
locations. It is clear that the magnetic field plays a fundamental role in the
propagation and properties of MHD waves in the neighbourhood of coronal null
points. This topic is a fundamental plasma process and results so far have also
lead to critical insights into reconnection, mode-coupling, quasi-periodic
pulsations and phase-mixing.Comment: 34 pages, 5 figures, invited review in Space Science Reviews => Note
this is a 2011 paper, not a 2010 pape
The Structure and Dynamics of the Upper Chromosphere and Lower Transition Region as Revealed by the Subarcsecond VAULT Observations
The Very high Angular resolution ULtraviolet Telescope (VAULT) is a sounding
rocket payload built to study the crucial interface between the solar
chromosphere and the corona by observing the strongest line in the solar
spectrum, the Ly-a line at 1216 {\AA}. In two flights, VAULT succeeded in
obtaining the first ever sub-arcsecond (0.5") images of this region with high
sensitivity and cadence. Detailed analyses of those observations have
contributed significantly to new ideas about the nature of the transition
region. Here, we present a broad overview of the Ly-a atmosphere as revealed by
the VAULT observations, and bring together past results and new analyses from
the second VAULT flight to create a synthesis of our current knowledge of the
high-resolution Ly-a Sun. We hope that this work will serve as a good reference
for the design of upcoming Ly-a telescopes and observing plans.Comment: 28 pages, 11 figure
Propagation of non-linear circularly polarised Alfven waves in a homogeneous medium
We study the evolution of non-linear circularly polarised Alfven waves by
solving numerically the time-dependent equations of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD)
in one dimension. We examine the behaviour of the waves and find that different
physical mechanisms are relevant in different ranges of beta. In a low beta
plasma the wave may undergo a parametric decay. This is because the wave
excites a density enhancement that travels slower than the wave itself and thus
interacts with the wave. When beta is greater or equal to one the density
enhancement does not interact with the wave and no decay takes place, instead
the Alfven wave is reflected against the density enhancement. The reflection
zone propagates with the speed 1/n of the Alfven speed. Because of that the
magnetic flux is conserved which results in an amplification of the oscillating
magnetic field by a factor 1/n. We find that n depends on beta, and that in
particular it is less or equal to one for values of beta ~ 1 and is greater or
equal to one for beta >> 1. We discuss the relevance of these mechanisms to the
acceleration of the solar wind, and the triggering of MHD turbulence in the
polar wind region. In particular these simulations can explain the presence of
inward propagating Alfven waves in the solar corona
The first observed stellar X-ray flare oscillation: Constraints on the flare loop length and the magnetic field
We present the first X-ray observation of an oscillation during a stellar
flare. The flare occurred on the active M-type dwarf AT Mic and was observed
with XMM-Newton. The soft X-ray light curve (0.2-12 keV) is investigated with
wavelet analysis. The flare's extended, flat peak shows clear evidence for a
damped oscillation with a period of around 750 s, an exponential damping time
of around 2000 s, and an initial, relative peak-to-peak amplitude of around
15%. We suggest that the oscillation is a standing magneto-acoustic wave tied
to the flare loop, and find that the most likely interpretation is a
longitudinal, slow-mode wave, with a resulting loop length of (2.5 +- 0.2) e10
cm. The local magnetic field strength is found to be (105 +- 50) G. These
values are consistent with (oscillation-independent) flare cooling time models
and pressure balance scaling laws. Such a flare oscillation provides an
excellent opportunity to obtain coronal properties like the size of a flare
loop or the local magnetic field strength for the otherwise
spatially-unresolved star.Comment: Accepted by A&A (03/12/2005
What is the Nature of EUV Waves? First STEREO 3D Observations and Comparison with Theoretical Models
One of the major discoveries of the Extreme ultraviolet Imaging Telescope
(EIT) on SOHO were intensity enhancements propagating over a large fraction of
the solar surface. The physical origin(s) of the so-called `EIT' waves is still
strongly debated. They are considered to be either wave (primarily fast-mode
MHD waves) or non-wave (pseudo-wave) interpretations. The difficulty in
understanding the nature of EUV waves lies with the limitations of the EIT
observations which have been used almost exclusively for their study. Their
limitations are largely overcome by the SECCHI/EUVI observations on-board the
STEREO mission. The EUVI telescopes provide high cadence, simultaneous
multi-temperature coverage, and two well-separated viewpoints. We present here
the first detailed analysis of an EUV wave observed by the EUVI disk imagers on
December 07, 2007 when the STEREO spacecraft separation was .
Both a small flare and a CME were associated with the wave cadence, and single
temperature and viewpoint coverage. These limitations are largely overcome by
the SECCHI/EUVI observations on-board the STEREO mission. The EUVI telescopes
provide high cadence, simultaneous multi-temperature coverage, and two
well-separated viewpoints. Our findings give significant support for a
fast-mode interpretation of EUV waves and indicate that they are probably
triggered by the rapid expansion of the loops associated with the CME.Comment: Solar Physics, 2009, Special STEREO Issue, in pres
Numerical simulation of the 12 May 1997 CME Event: The role of magnetic reconnection
We perform a numerical study of the evolution of a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) and its interaction with the coronal magnetic field based on the 12 May 1997, CME event using a global MagnetoHydroDynamic (MHD) model for the solar corona. The ambient solar wind steady-state solution is driven by photospheric magnetic field data, while the solar eruption is obtained by superimposing an unstable flux rope onto the steady-state solution. During the initial stage of CME expansion, the core flux rope reconnects with the neighboring field, which facilitates lateral expansion of the CME footprint in the low corona. The flux rope field also reconnects with the oppositely orientated overlying magnetic field in the manner of the breakout model. During this stage of the eruption, the simulated CME rotates counter-clockwise to achieve an orientation that is in agreement with the interplanetary flux rope observed at 1 AU. A significant component of the CME that expands into interplanetary space comprises one of the side lobes created mainly as a result of reconnection with the overlying field. Within 3 hours, reconnection effectively modifies the CME connectivity from the initial condition where both footpoints are rooted in the active region to a situation where one footpoint is displaced into the quiet Sun, at a significant distance (≈1R ) from the original source region. The expansion and rotation due to interaction with the overlying magnetic field stops when the CME reaches the outer edge of the helmet streamer belt, where the field is organized on a global scale. The simulation thus offers a new view of the role reconnection plays in rotating a CME flux rope and transporting its footpoints while preserving its core structure
Atmospheric Heating and Wind Acceleration: Results for Cool Evolved Stars based on Proposed Processes
A chromosphere is a universal attribute of stars of spectral type later than
~F5. Evolved (K and M) giants and supergiants (including the zeta Aurigae
binaries) show extended and highly turbulent chromospheres, which develop into
slow massive winds. The associated continuous mass loss has a significant
impact on stellar evolution, and thence on the chemical evolution of galaxies.
Yet despite the fundamental importance of those winds in astrophysics, the
question of their origin(s) remains unsolved. What sources heat a chromosphere?
What is the role of the chromosphere in the formation of stellar winds? This
chapter provides a review of the observational requirements and theoretical
approaches for modeling chromospheric heating and the acceleration of winds in
single cool, evolved stars and in eclipsing binary stars, including physical
models that have recently been proposed. It describes the successes that have
been achieved so far by invoking acoustic and MHD waves to provide a physical
description of plasma heating and wind acceleration, and discusses the
challenges that still remain.Comment: 46 pages, 9 figures, 1 table; modified and unedited manuscript;
accepted version to appear in: Giants of Eclipse, eds. E. Griffin and T. Ake
(Berlin: Springer
Effect of temperature anisotropy on various modes and instabilities for a magnetized non-relativistic bi-Maxwellian plasma
Using kinetic theory for homogeneous collisionless magnetized plasmas, we
present an extended review of the plasma waves and instabilities and discuss
the anisotropic response of generalized relativistic dielectric tensor and
Onsager symmetry properties for arbitrary distribution functions. In general,
we observe that for such plasmas only those electromagnetic modes whose
magnetic field perturbations are perpendicular to the ambient magneticeld,
i.e.,B1 \perp B0, are effected by the anisotropy. However, in oblique
propagation all modes do show such anisotropic effects. Considering the
non-relativistic bi-Maxwellian distribution and studying the relevant
components of the general dielectric tensor under appropriate conditions, we
derive the dispersion relations for various modes and instabilities. We show
that only the electromagnetic R- and L- waves, those derived from them and the
O-mode are affected by thermal anisotropies, since they satisfy the required
condition B1\perpB0. By contrast, the perpendicularly propagating X-mode and
the modes derived from it (the pure transverse X-mode and Bernstein mode) show
no such effect. In general, we note that the thermal anisotropy modifies the
parallel propagating modes via the parallel acoustic effect, while it modifies
the perpendicular propagating modes via the Larmor-radius effect. In oblique
propagation for kinetic Alfven waves, the thermal anisotropy affects the
kinetic regime more than it affects the inertial regime. The generalized fast
mode exhibits two distinct acoustic effects, one in the direction parallel to
the ambient magnetic field and the other in the direction perpendicular to it.
In the fast-mode instability, the magneto-sonic wave causes suppression of the
firehose instability. We discuss all these propagation characteristics and
present graphic illustrations
On Solving the Coronal Heating Problem
This article assesses the current state of understanding of coronal heating,
outlines the key elements of a comprehensive strategy for solving the problem,
and warns of obstacles that must be overcome along the way.Comment: Accepted by Solar Physics; Published by Solar Physic
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