The heating of the solar corona. II. A model based on energy balance.
Abstract
The density and temperature distribution of the solar corona is calculated assuming an energy balance between thermal conduction and radiated power loss with the primary heating of the corona by the dissipation of sound-waves propagated upwards from below the sun's surface. A sharp transition region is found and the calculated results are compared with observations. A detailed model atmosphere for the transition region and corona is derived using the Harvard Smithsonian Reference Atmosphere (for the chromosphere) as starting point. Hydrostatic equilibrium is assumed in the calculations but it is also shown that a pressure arises because of the sound waves which is of comparable magnitude to hydrostatic pressure. The inclusion of this pressure introduces difficulties that are discussed.
- Publication:
-
Astronomy and Astrophysics
- Pub Date:
- April 1975
- Bibcode:
- 1975A&A....40...63M
- Keywords:
-
- Acoustic Attenuation;
- Astronomical Models;
- Energy Budgets;
- Plasma Heating;
- Solar Corona;
- Conductive Heat Transfer;
- Density Distribution;
- Magnetoacoustic Waves;
- Radiative Heat Transfer;
- Solar Magnetic Field;
- Sound Waves;
- Temperature Distribution;
- Solar Physics