EXCITATION OF KINK WAVES DUE TO SMALL-SCALE MAGNETIC RECONNECTION IN THE CHROMOSPHERE?

Journal Article · Tue Nov 10 00:00:00 EST 2009 · Astrophysical Journal (Online)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1088/0004-637X/705/2/L217· OSTI ID:21378255

Jiansen, He; Marsch, Eckart; Hui, Tian ^[1]

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1. Max-Planck-Institut fuer Sonnensystemforschung, 37191 Katlenburg-Lindau (Germany)

The kink wave, which has often been observed in coronal loops, is considered as a possibly important energy source contributing to coronal heating. However, its generation has not yet been observed. Here, we report the first observation of kink-wave excitation caused by magnetic reconnection as inferred from Solar Optical Telescope measurements made in the Ca II line. We observed transverse-displacement oscillations on a spicule which propagated upwardly along the spicule trace and originated from the cusp of an inverted Y-shaped structure, where apparently magnetic reconnection occurred. Such transverse oscillation of an individual spicule is interpreted by us to be the signature of a kink wave that was excited by magnetic reconnection. We present the height variations of the velocity amplitude, deltav, and the phase speed, C {sub k}, of the kink wave, starting from its source region. The kink wave is found to steepen with height and to evolve into a nonlinear state with a large relative disturbance, yielding a (deltav/C {sub k}) of 0.21 at 5.5 Mm. This nonlinear kink wave seems to be damped in velocity amplitude beyond 5.5 Mm, which may result from the conversion of transverse-fluctuation energy to longitudinal-motion energy required to sustain the spicule. We also estimate the energy flux density carried by the kink wave, and in spite of its attenuation in the transition region conclude it to be sufficient for heating the quiet corona. Our findings shed new light on future modeling of coronal heating and solar wind acceleration involving magnetic reconnection in the chromosphere.

• OSTI ID: 21378255
• Journal Information: Astrophysical Journal (Online), Vol. 705, Issue 2; Other Information: DOI: 10.1088/0004-637X/705/2/L217; ISSN 1538-4357
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

79 ASTROPHYSICS
COSMOLOGY AND ASTRONOMY
ACCELERATION
ATTENUATION
CHROMOSPHERE
CUSPED GEOMETRIES
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUCTUATIONS
FLUX DENSITY
HEATING
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAGNETIC RECONNECTION
NONLINEAR PROBLEMS
OSCILLATIONS
SIMULATION
SOLAR PROMINENCES
SOLAR WIND
SUN
TELESCOPES
VELOCITY
VISIBLE RADIATION
ATMOSPHERES
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
MAGNETIC FIELD CONFIGURATIONS
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
OPEN CONFIGURATIONS
RADIATIONS
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE
STARS
STELLAR ACTIVITY
STELLAR ATMOSPHERES
STELLAR WINDS
VARIATIONS