Solar Chromospheric Heating by Magnetohydrodynamic Waves: Dependence on the Inclination of the Magnetic Field

A proposed mechanism for solar chromospheric heating is magnetohydrodynamic waves propagating upward along magnetic field lines and dissipating their energy in the chromosphere. In particular, compressible magnetoacoustic waves may contribute to the heating. Theoretically, the components below the c...

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Main Authors: Mayu Koyama, Toshifumi Shimizu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: IOP Publishing 2024-01-01
Series:The Astrophysical Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad343f
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author Mayu Koyama
Toshifumi Shimizu
author_facet Mayu Koyama
Toshifumi Shimizu
author_sort Mayu Koyama
collection DOAJ
description A proposed mechanism for solar chromospheric heating is magnetohydrodynamic waves propagating upward along magnetic field lines and dissipating their energy in the chromosphere. In particular, compressible magnetoacoustic waves may contribute to the heating. Theoretically, the components below the cutoff frequency cannot propagate into the chromosphere; however, the cutoff frequency depends on the inclination of the magnetic field lines. In this study, using high-temporal cadence spectral data of IRIS and Hinode Solar Optical Telescope spectropolarimeter in plages, we investigated the dependence of the low-frequency waves on magnetic field properties and quantitatively estimated the amount of energy dissipation in the chromosphere. The following results were obtained: (a) The amount of energy dissipated by the low-frequency component (3–6 mHz) increases with the inclination of the field below 40°, whereas it decreases as a function of the inclination of the field above 40°. (b) The amount of the energy is enhanced toward 10 ^4 W m ^−2 , which is the energy required for heating in the chromospheric plage regions when the magnetic field is higher than 600 G and inclined more than 40°. (c) In the photosphere, the low-frequency component has much more power in the magnetic field inclined more and weaker than 400 G. The results suggest that the observed low-frequency components can bring the energy along the magnetic field lines and that only a specific range of the inclination angles of the field and the strength of the field may allow the low-frequency component to bring a sufficient amount of the energy into the chromosphere.
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spelling doaj.art-c570139a045a472dbd7198b549e7863a2024-04-16T18:27:24ZengIOP PublishingThe Astrophysical Journal1538-43572024-01-01965213610.3847/1538-4357/ad343fSolar Chromospheric Heating by Magnetohydrodynamic Waves: Dependence on the Inclination of the Magnetic FieldMayu Koyama0Toshifumi Shimizu1https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4764-6856Department of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; Institute of Space and Astronautical Science , Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210, Japan ; shimizu@solar.isas.jaxa.jpDepartment of Earth and Planetary Science, The University of Tokyo , 7-3-1 Hongo, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-0033, Japan; Institute of Space and Astronautical Science , Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, 3-1-1 Chuo-ku, Sagamihara, Kanagawa 252-5210, Japan ; shimizu@solar.isas.jaxa.jpA proposed mechanism for solar chromospheric heating is magnetohydrodynamic waves propagating upward along magnetic field lines and dissipating their energy in the chromosphere. In particular, compressible magnetoacoustic waves may contribute to the heating. Theoretically, the components below the cutoff frequency cannot propagate into the chromosphere; however, the cutoff frequency depends on the inclination of the magnetic field lines. In this study, using high-temporal cadence spectral data of IRIS and Hinode Solar Optical Telescope spectropolarimeter in plages, we investigated the dependence of the low-frequency waves on magnetic field properties and quantitatively estimated the amount of energy dissipation in the chromosphere. The following results were obtained: (a) The amount of energy dissipated by the low-frequency component (3–6 mHz) increases with the inclination of the field below 40°, whereas it decreases as a function of the inclination of the field above 40°. (b) The amount of the energy is enhanced toward 10 ^4 W m ^−2 , which is the energy required for heating in the chromospheric plage regions when the magnetic field is higher than 600 G and inclined more than 40°. (c) In the photosphere, the low-frequency component has much more power in the magnetic field inclined more and weaker than 400 G. The results suggest that the observed low-frequency components can bring the energy along the magnetic field lines and that only a specific range of the inclination angles of the field and the strength of the field may allow the low-frequency component to bring a sufficient amount of the energy into the chromosphere.https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad343fSolar physics
spellingShingle Mayu Koyama
Toshifumi Shimizu
Solar Chromospheric Heating by Magnetohydrodynamic Waves: Dependence on the Inclination of the Magnetic Field
The Astrophysical Journal
Solar physics
title Solar Chromospheric Heating by Magnetohydrodynamic Waves: Dependence on the Inclination of the Magnetic Field
title_full Solar Chromospheric Heating by Magnetohydrodynamic Waves: Dependence on the Inclination of the Magnetic Field
title_fullStr Solar Chromospheric Heating by Magnetohydrodynamic Waves: Dependence on the Inclination of the Magnetic Field
title_full_unstemmed Solar Chromospheric Heating by Magnetohydrodynamic Waves: Dependence on the Inclination of the Magnetic Field
title_short Solar Chromospheric Heating by Magnetohydrodynamic Waves: Dependence on the Inclination of the Magnetic Field
title_sort solar chromospheric heating by magnetohydrodynamic waves dependence on the inclination of the magnetic field
topic Solar physics
url https://doi.org/10.3847/1538-4357/ad343f
work_keys_str_mv AT mayukoyama solarchromosphericheatingbymagnetohydrodynamicwavesdependenceontheinclinationofthemagneticfield
AT toshifumishimizu solarchromosphericheatingbymagnetohydrodynamicwavesdependenceontheinclinationofthemagneticfield