Signatures of Alfven waves in the polar coronal holes as seen by EIS/Hinode

TL;DR

This study detects signatures of Alfvén waves in polar coronal holes through EUV line width variations, supporting their role in solar wind acceleration by showing increasing nonthermal velocities with height.

Contribution

It provides observational evidence of Alfvén waves in polar coronal holes using Hinode/EIS data, linking wave signatures to solar wind acceleration mechanisms.

Findings

Nonthermal velocity increases from 26 km/s to 42 km/s with height.

Electron density decreases from 3.3×10^9 to 1.9×10^8 cm^-3.

Nonthermal velocity inversely proportional to the square root of electron density.

Abstract

Context. We diagnose the properties of the plume and interplume regions in a polar coronal hole and the role of waves in the acceleration of the solar wind. Aims. We attempt to detect whether Alfven waves are present in the polar coronal holes through variations in EUV line widths. Methods. Using spectral observations performed over a polar coronal hole region with the EIS spectrometer on Hinode, we study the variation in the line width and electron density as a function of height. We use the density sensitive line pairs of Fe xii 186.88 A & 195.119 A and Fe xiii 203.82 A & 202.04 A . Results. For the polar region, the line width data show that the nonthermal line-of-sight velocity increases from 26 km/s at 1000 above the limb to 42 km/s some 15000 (i.e. 110,000 km) above the limb. The electron density shows a decrease from 3:3 10^9 cm^-3 to 1:9 10^8 cm^-3 over the same distance. Conclusions. These results imply that the nonthermal velocity is inversely proportional to the quadratic root of the electron density, in excellent agreement with what is predicted for undamped radially propagating linear Alfven waves. Our data provide signatures of Alfven waves in the polar coronal hole regions, which could be important for the acceleration of the solar wind.