# The Temperature-dependent Damping of Propagating Slow Magnetoacoustic Waves

## TL;DR

This study investigates how the damping length of slow magnetoacoustic waves in the solar corona varies with temperature, challenging the traditional view that thermal conduction is the main damping mechanism.

## Contribution

It provides the first observational analysis of the temperature dependence of damping lengths, suggesting thermal conduction is suppressed in hotter coronal loops.

## Key findings

- No decrease in damping length with increasing temperature.
- Thermal conduction appears suppressed in hotter loops.
- Thermal conduction may not be the dominant damping mechanism.

## Abstract

The rapid damping of slow magnetoacoustic waves in the solar corona has been extensively studied in previous years. Most studies suggest that thermal conduction is a dominant contributor to this damping, albeit with a few exceptions. Employing extreme-ultraviolet (EUV) imaging data from SDO/AIA, we measure the damping lengths of propagating slow magnetoacoustic waves observed in several fan-like loop structures using two independent methods. The dependence of the damping length on temperature has been studied for the first time. The results do not indicate any apparent decrease in damping length with temperature, which is in contrast to the existing viewpoint. Comparing with the corresponding theoretical values calculated from damping due to thermal conduction, it is inferred that thermal conduction is suppressed in hotter loops. An alternative interpretation that suggests thermal conduction is not the dominant damping mechanism, even for short period waves in warm active region loops, is also presented.