Solar Magnetic Flux Tube Simulations with Time-Dependent Ionization

TL;DR

This study uses 1-D simulations to analyze how time-dependent ionization affects acoustic waves in solar magnetic flux tubes, revealing significant impacts on chromospheric heating and wave energy distribution.

Contribution

It introduces models incorporating time-dependent ionization and updated convection parameters, providing new insights into wave dynamics and heating in solar magnetic flux tubes.

Findings

Time-dependent ionization significantly affects wave behavior.

Longitudinal flux tube waves are insufficient to heat the solar transition region.

Different tube spreading models show varied wave energy and temperature profiles.

Abstract

In the present work we expand the study of time-dependent ionization previously identified to be of pivotal importance for acoustic waves in solar magnetic flux tube simulations. We focus on longitudinal tube waves (LTW) known to be an important heating agent of solar magnetic regions. Our models also consider new results of wave energy generation as well as an updated determination of the mixing length of convection now identified as 1.8 scale heights in the upper solar convective layers. We present 1-D wave simulations for the solar chromosphere by studying tubes of different spreading as function of height aimed at representing tubes in environments of different magnetic filling factors. Multi-level radiative transfer has been applied to correctly represent the total chromospheric emission function. The effects of time-dependent ionization are significant in all models studied. They are most pronounced behind strong shocks and in low density regions, i.e., the middle and high chromosphere. Concerning our models of different tube spreading, we attained pronounced differences between the various types of models, which were largely initiated by different degrees of dilution of the wave energy flux as well as the density structure partially shaped by strong shocks, if existing. Models showing a quasi-steady rise of temperature with height are obtained via monochromatic waves akin to previous acoustic simulations. However, longitudinal flux tube waves are identified as insufficient to heat the solar transition region and corona in agreement with previous studies.