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Resonant absorption of transverse oscillations and associated heating in a solar prominence. I. Observational aspects

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Antolin_2015_AJ_ObservationalAspects_FinalPubVersion.pdf (2.434Mb)
Date
11/08/2015
Author
Okamoto, Takenori J.
Antolin, Patrick
De Pontieu, Bart
Uitenbroek, Han
Van Doorsselaere, Tom
Yokoyama, Takaaki
Keywords
Sun: chromosphere
Sun: transition region
Waves
QB Astronomy
QC Physics
NDAS
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Abstract
Transverse magnetohydrodynamic waves have been shown to be ubiquitous in the solar atmosphere and can, in principle, carry sufficient energy to generate and maintain the Sun's million-degree outer atmosphere or corona. However, direct evidence of the dissipation process of these waves and subsequent heating has not yet been directly observed. Here we report on high spatial, temporal, and spectral resolution observations of a solar prominence that show a compelling signature of so-called resonant absorption, a long hypothesized mechanism to efficiently convert and dissipate transverse wave energy into heat. Aside from coherence in the transverse direction, our observations show telltale phase differences around 180° between transverse motions in the plane-of-sky and line-of-sight velocities of the oscillating fine structures or threads, and also suggest significant heating from chromospheric to higher temperatures. Comparison with advanced numerical simulations support a scenario in which transverse oscillations trigger a Kelvin–Helmholtz instability (KHI) at the boundaries of oscillating threads via resonant absorption. This instability leads to numerous thin current sheets in which wave energy is dissipated and plasma is heated. Our results provide direct evidence for wave-related heating in action, one of the candidate coronal heating mechanisms.
Citation
Okamoto , T J , Antolin , P , De Pontieu , B , Uitenbroek , H , Van Doorsselaere , T & Yokoyama , T 2015 , ' Resonant absorption of transverse oscillations and associated heating in a solar prominence. I. Observational aspects ' , Astrophysical Journal , vol. 809 , no. 1 , 71 . https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/809/1/71
Publication
Astrophysical Journal
Status
Peer reviewed
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/809/1/71
ISSN
0004-637X
Type
Journal article
Rights
© 2015 The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved. This work is made available online in accordance with the publisher’s policies. This is the final published version of the work, which was originally published at: https://dx.doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/809/1/71
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  • University of St Andrews Research
URL
http://adsabs.harvard.edu/abs/2015ApJ...809...71O
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10023/10294

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