Estimating the contribution of Alfv\'en waves to the process of heating the quiet solar corona

TL;DR

This study uses numerical simulations of MHD equations to evaluate whether Alfvén waves can sufficiently transfer energy to heat the quiet solar corona, concluding they are unlikely to be the primary heating mechanism.

Contribution

It provides a detailed numerical analysis of Alfvén wave energy transfer in solar structures, showing their limited role in coronal heating.

Findings

Alfvén waves transfer insufficient energy to heat the quiet corona.

Wave speed above 10 km/s is required for flux transfer in funnels.

Two consecutive waves do not significantly enhance heating capability.

Abstract

We solve numerically the ideal MHD equations with an external gravitational field in 2D in order to study the effects of impulsively generated linear and non-linear Alfv\'en waves into isolated solar arcades and coronal funnels. We analyze the region containing the interface between the photosphere and the corona. The main interest is to study the possibility that Alfv\'en waves triggers the energy flux transfer toward the quiet solar corona and heat it, including the case that two consecutive waves can occur. We find that in the case of arcades, short or large, the transferred fluxes by Alfv\'en waves are sufficient to heat the quiet corona only during a small lapse of time and in a certain region. In the case of funnels the threshold is achieved only when the wave is faster than 10 km/s, which is extremely high. We conclude from our analysis, that Alfv\'en waves, even in the optimistic scenario of having two consecutive Alfv\'en wave pulses, cannot transport enough energy as to heat the quiet corona.