Alfven Waves in the Solar Atmosphere

TL;DR

This paper reviews recent observations and theoretical understanding of Alfven waves in the solar atmosphere, emphasizing their role in energy transport and heating of the Sun's chromosphere and corona.

Contribution

It synthesizes recent observational data with theoretical models of Alfven waves, highlighting advances in understanding their properties in solar magnetic structures.

Findings

Alfven waves are observed in various solar atmospheric structures.

Theoretical models effectively describe wave properties in non-uniform magnetic fields.

Recent studies support Alfven waves as key energy transport mechanisms.

Abstract

Alfven waves are considered to be viable transporters of the non-thermal energy required to heat the Sun's quiescent atmosphere. An abundance of recent observations, from state-of-the-art facilities, have reported the existence of Alfven waves in a range of chromospheric and coronal structures. Here, we review the progress made in disentangling the characteristics of transverse kink and torsional linear magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves. We outline the simple, yet powerful theory describing their basic properties in (non-)uniform magnetic structures, which closely resemble the building blocks of the real solar atmosphere.