Heating of the partially ionized solar chromosphere by waves in magnetic structures

TL;DR

This study demonstrates that wave dissipation via ambipolar diffusion in partially ionized magnetic structures can effectively heat the solar chromosphere, providing a plausible mechanism for its temperature increase.

Contribution

The paper introduces a numerical model showing wave dissipation through ambipolar diffusion as a novel heating mechanism for the solar chromosphere.

Findings

Wave perturbations are effectively dissipated by ambipolar diffusion.

The heating mechanism is continuous and more efficient than static current dissipation.

Results support wave-based heating as a key process in the chromosphere.

Abstract

In this paper, we show a "proof of concept" of the heating mechanism of the solar chromosphere due to wave dissipation caused by the effects of partial ionization. Numerical modeling of non-linear wave propagation in a magnetic flux tube, embedded in the solar atmosphere, is performed by solving a system of single-fluid quasi-MHD equations, which take into account the ambipolar term from the generalized Ohm's law. It is shown that perturbations caused by magnetic waves can be effectively dissipated due to ambipolar diffusion. The energy input by this mechanism is continuous and shown to be more efficient than dissipation of static currents, ultimately leading to chromospheric temperature increase in magnetic structures.