Solar nanoflares and other smaller energy release events as growing drift waves

TL;DR

This paper proposes that nanoflares and similar rapid energy releases in the solar corona can be explained by the kinetic growth of drift waves, which lead to stochastic heating and energy release.

Contribution

It introduces a novel explanation for nanoflares based on drift wave theory, differing from the traditional magnetic reconnection model.

Findings

Drift wave growth can produce energy releases over 10^{16} J.

Nanoflares can occur throughout the solar corona, not just active regions.

Stochastic heating from drift waves provides a plausible energy release mechanism.

Abstract

Rapid energy releases (RERs) in the solar corona extend over many orders of magnitude, the largest (flares) releasing an energy of $10^{25} $J or more. Other events, with a typical energy that is a billion times less, are called nanoflares. A basic difference between flares and nanoflares is that flares need a larger magnetic field and thus occur only in active regions, while nanoflares can appear everywhere. The origin of such RERs is usually attributed to magnetic reconnection that takes place at altitudes just above the transition region. Here we show that nanoflares and smaller similar RERs can be explained within the drift wave theory as a natural stage in the kinetic growth of the drift wave. In this scenario, a growing mode with a sufficiently large amplitude leads to stochastic heating that can provide an energy release of over $10^{16} $J.