On the propagation of p-modes into the solar chromosphere

TL;DR

This study investigates how p-mode oscillations propagate from the solar photosphere to the chromosphere, emphasizing the role of magnetic field inclination in wave leakage, using Fourier phase-difference analysis of plage observations.

Contribution

It demonstrates the critical influence of magnetic field inclination on the propagation of p-modes into the solar chromosphere, especially for 5-minute oscillations.

Findings

3-minute waves propagate vertically from photosphere to chromosphere.

5-minute waves propagate only at plage peripheries where fields expand.

Field inclination significantly affects wave leakage into the chromosphere.

Abstract

We employ tomographic observations of a small region of plage to study the propagation of waves from the solar photosphere to the chromosphere using a Fourier phase-difference analysis. Our results show the expected vertical propagation for waves with periods of 3 minutes. Waves with 5-minute periods, i.e., above the acoustic cut-off period, are found to propagate only at the periphery of the plage, and only in the direction in which the field can be reasonably expected to expand. We conclude that field inclination is critically important in the leakage of p-mode oscillations from the photosphere into the chromosphere.