Solar atmospheric dynamics. Report for 1 March 1977-28 February 1978

Technical Report · Fri Sep 01 04:00:00 EDT 1978

OSTI ID:5673088

Stein, R F

The heating of the solar chromosphere and corona, and the propagation of acoustic waves through the transition region between the chromosphere and corona were studied. In order to place an upper limit on the effectiveness of acoustic waves in heating, the author wrote and tested a computer program to calculate accurately the propagation and dissipation of vertically traveling acoustic waves which includes thermal conduction and radiative transfer. In order to study heating by other possible waves, in particular magneto-acoustic-gravity waves, he wrote and is now testing a computer program which approximately includes horizontal motions. In order to study the effects of horizontal inhomogeneities, developments of a three-dimensional fluid dynamic computer program was started. Also studied was the propagation of acoustic waves through the solar transition region. It was found that waves with velocity amplitudes compatible with observations near the temperature minimum (< + or - 1 km/s) transmit too little flux through the transition region (< 20,000 erg/sq. cm. -s) to heat the corona.

• Research Organization: Michigan State Univ., East Lansing (USA). Dept. of Astronomy and Astrophysics
• OSTI ID: 5673088
• Report Number(s): AD-A-063197
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics &amp; Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
BOUNDARY CONDITIONS
CHROMOSPHERE
DYNAMICS
FLUID MECHANICS
HEATING
MECHANICS
PHYSICAL PROPERTIES
RADIATION TRANSPORT
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE
SOLAR CORONA
SOUND WAVES
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
THERMODYNAMIC PROPERTIES
TRANSMISSION
WAVE PROPAGATION