Can slow solar shock waves heat the corona?
Abstract
Based on the solution to a generalized Riemann-Kotchine problem, the appearance of dissipative slow shock waves in the plasma of the solar corona, which occur when rotational discontinuities are refracted at a contact discontinuity in the transition region between the chromosphere and corona, is studied. The oblique interaction between a solar rotational discontinuity A and stationary contact discontinuity C in the transition region is considered in the scope of the magnetohydrodynamic model. Here, due to the presence of a large number of nonlinear Alfvén waves, there is a real possibility of the appearance of a rotational discontinuity moving to the solar corona in the chromosphere. The appearance of dissipative slow MHD shock waves with an insignificant change in the magnetic field as a result of refraction of nondissipative rotational discontinuities at a contact discontinuity in the transition region is proved. It is supposed that a wave source of plasma heating can exist in upper layers of the corona because of the motion of slow shock waves undergoing the Landau damping. Thus, a new model of heat transfer from the chromosphere to the solar corona is proposed.
- Publication:
-
Geomagnetism and Aeronomy
- Pub Date:
- December 2014
- DOI:
- 10.1134/S0016793214080052
- Bibcode:
- 2014Ge&Ae..54..991G
- Keywords:
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- Shock Wave;
- Solar Wind;
- Solar Corona;
- Rarefaction Wave;
- Coronal Plasma