ON THE PROBABLE EXISTENCE OF AN ABRUPT MAGNETIZATION IN THE UPPER CHROMOSPHERE OF THE QUIET SUN

Journal Article · Wed Mar 10 00:00:00 EST 2010 · Astrophysical Journal Letters

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/2041-8205/711/2/L133; COUNTRY OF INPUT: INTERNATIONAL ATOMIC ENERGY AGENCY (IAEA)· OSTI ID:21305102

Stepan, JirI

We report on a detailed radiative transfer modeling of the observed scattering polarization in the H{alpha} line, which allows us to infer quantitative information on the magnetization of the quiet solar chromosphere. Our analysis suggests the presence of a magnetic complexity zone with a mean field strength (B) > 30 G lying just below the sudden transition region to the coronal temperatures. The chromospheric plasma directly underneath is very weakly magnetized, with (B) {approx} 1 G. The possible existence of this abrupt change in the degree of magnetization of the upper chromosphere of the quiet Sun might have large significance for our understanding of chromospheric (and, therefore, coronal) heating.

• OSTI ID: 21305102
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal Letters, Vol. 711, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/2041-8205/711/2/L133; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 2041-8205
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
CHROMOSPHERE
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIZATION
MEAN-FIELD THEORY
POLARIZATION
RADIANT HEAT TRANSFER
SCATTERING
SIMULATION
SUN