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DOE OSTI2011

Propagation of nonlinear dust magnetoacoustic waves in cylindrical geometry

The cylindrical dust magnetoacoustic shocks in dissipative and solitons in non-dissipative dust-ion plasmas are studied. The dust particles are assumed to be fully negatively charged so that the density of electrons in comparison with dust and ions is negligible. The cylindrical Korteweg-de Vries Burgers and cylindrical Korteweg-de Vries equations are derived for dust magnetosonic waves by employing the reductive perturbation method. It is found that dust plasma parameters such as dust charge number, dust density, and ion temperature have strong influence on the profile of dust magnetoacoustic shocks and solitons. The results are also obtained numerically by using the data from laboratory experiments on dusty plasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2012

SLOW MAGNETOACOUSTIC WAVES OBSERVED ABOVE A QUIET-SUN REGION IN A DARK CAVITY

Waves play a crucial role in diagnosing the plasma properties of various structures in the solar corona and coronal heating. Slow magnetoacoustic (MA) waves are one of the important types of magnetohydrodynamic waves. In past decades, numerous slow MA waves were detected above active regions and coronal holes, but were rarely found elsewhere. Here, we investigate a 'tornado'-like structure consisting of quasi-periodic streaks within a dark cavity at about 40-110 Mm above a quiet-Sun region on 2011 September 25. Our analysis reveals that these streaks are actually slow MA wave trains. The properties of these wave trains, including phase speed, compression ratio, and kinetic energy density, are similar to those of the reported slow MA waves, except that the period of these waves is about 50 s, much shorter than the typical reported values (3-5 minutes).

71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS, GENERAL PHYSIC↗

NASA NTRS1993

Mirror modes and fast magnetoacoustic waves near the magnetic pileup boundary of comet P/Halley

Large-amplitude ultralow-frequency wave structure observed on both sides of the magnetic pileup boundary of comet P/Halley during the flyby of the Giotto spacecraft have been analyzed using suprathermal electron density and magnetic field observations. Upstream of the boundary, electron density and magnetic field magnitude variations are anticorrelated, while in the pileup region these quantities are clearly correlated. Both in front of and behind the pileup boundary the observed waves are quasi-perpendicular wave structures as a minimum variance analysis shows. A detailed comparison of our observations in the prepileup region with theoretical and numerical results shows that the mirror mode mode waves may have been generated by a mirror instability driven by the pressure anisotropy of the ring-type distributions of the heavy (water group) pickup cometary ions.

Glassmeier, Karl-Heintz↗

DOE OSTI2011

Magnetoacoustic shock waves in dissipative degenerate plasmas

Quantum magnetoacoustic shock waves are studied in homogenous, magnetized, dissipative dense electron-ion plasma by using two fluid quantum magneto-hydrodynamic (QMHD) model. The weak dissipation effects in the system are taken into account through kinematic viscosity of the ions. The reductive perturbation method is employed to derive Korteweg-de Vries Burgers (KdVB) equation for magnetoacoustic wave propagating in the perpendicular direction to the external magnetic field in dense plasmas. The strength of magnetoacoustic shock is investigated with the variations in plasma density, magnetic field intensity, and ion kinematic viscosity of dense plasma system. The necessary condition for the existence of monotonic and oscillatory shock waves is also discussed. The numerical results are presented for illustration by using the data of astrophysical dense plasma situations such as neutron stars exist in the literature.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2015

ON THE SPATIAL SCALES OF WAVE HEATING IN THE SOLAR CHROMOSPHERE

Dissipation of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave energy has been proposed as a viable heating mechanism in the solar chromospheric plasma. Here, we use a simplified one-dimensional model of the chromosphere to theoretically investigate the physical processes and spatial scales that are required for the efficient dissipation of Alfvén waves and slow magnetoacoustic waves. We consider the governing equations for a partially ionized hydrogen-helium plasma in the single-fluid MHD approximation and include realistic wave damping mechanisms that may operate in the chromosphere, namely, Ohmic and ambipolar magnetic diffusion, viscosity, thermal conduction, and radiative losses. We perform an analytic local study in the limit of small amplitudes to approximately derive the lengthscales for critical damping and efficient dissipation of MHD wave energy. We find that the critical dissipation lengthscale for Alfvén waves depends strongly on the magnetic field strength and ranges from 10 m to 1 km for realistic field strengths. The damping of Alfvén waves is dominated by Ohmic diffusion for weak magnetic field and low heights in the chromosphere, and by ambipolar diffusion for strong magnetic field and medium/large heights in the chromosphere. Conversely, the damping of slow magnetoacoustic waves is less efficient, and spatial scales shorter than 10 m are required for critical damping. Thermal conduction and viscosity govern the damping of slow magnetoacoustic waves and play an equally important role at all heights. These results indicate that the spatial scales at which strong wave heating may work in the chromosphere are currently unresolved by observations.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2011

Two dimensional cylindrical fast magnetoacoustic solitary waves in a dust plasma

The nonlinear fast magnetoacoustic solitary waves in a dust plasma with the combined effects of bounded cylindrical geometry and transverse perturbation are investigated in a new equation. In this regard, cylindrical Kadomtsev-Petviashvili (CKP) equation is derived using the small amplitude perturbation expansion method. Under a suitable coordinate transformation, the CKP equation can be solved analytically. It is shown that the dust cylindrical fast magnetoacoustic solitary waves can exist in the CKP equation. The present investigation may have relevance in the study of nonlinear electromagnetic soliton waves both in laboratory and astrophysical plasmas.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2014

PICKUP ION MEDIATED PLASMAS. I. BASIC MODEL AND LINEAR WAVES IN THE SOLAR WIND AND LOCAL INTERSTELLAR MEDIUM

Pickup ions (PUIs) in the outer heliosphere and the local interstellar medium are created by charge exchange between protons and hydrogen (H) atoms, forming a thermodynamically dominant component. In the supersonic solar wind beyond >10 AU, in the inner heliosheath (IHS), and in the very local interstellar medium (VLISM), PUIs do not equilibrate collisionally with the background plasma. Using a collisionless form of Chapman-Enskog expansion, we derive a closed system of multi-fluid equations for a plasma comprised of thermal protons and electrons, and suprathermal PUIs. The PUIs contribute an isotropic scalar pressure to leading order, a collisionless heat flux at the next order, and a collisionless stress tensor at the second-order. The collisionless heat conduction and viscosity in the multi-fluid description results from a non-isotropic PUI distribution. A simpler one-fluid MHD-like system of equations with distinct equations of state for both the background plasma and the PUIs is derived. We investigate linear wave properties in a PUI-mediated three-fluid plasma model for parameters appropriate to the VLISM, the IHS, and the solar wind in the outer heliosphere. Five distinct wave modes are possible: Alfvén waves, thermal fast and slow magnetoacoustic waves, PUI fast and slow magnetoacoustic waves, and an entropy mode. The thermal and PUI acoustic modes propagate at approximately the combined thermal magnetoacoustic speed and the PUI sound speed respectively. All wave modes experience damping by the PUIs through the collisionless PUI heat flux. The PUI-mediated plasma model yields wave properties, including Alfvén waves, distinctly different from those of the standard two-fluid model.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1986

Dispersive ducting of MHD waves in the plasma sheet - A source of Pi2 wave bursts

Fast magnetoacoustic waves can be ducted by plasma inhomogeneities such as the plasma sheet. As this ducting is dispersive an impulsive source will give rise to a well-defined, quasi-periodic wave packet with time-scales determined by the width of the inhomogeneity and characteristic speeds in the wave duct and surrounding medium. The duration of the wave packet depends upon the distance from the source. It is argued that an impulsive source in the plasma sheet at substorm onset will produce a wave packet near earth with characteristics similar to pi2 wave bursts and put this idea forward as a mechanism for the generation of pi2 pulsations.

Edwin, P. M.↗

DOE OSTI2017

Internal Gravity Waves in the Magnetized Solar Atmosphere. I. Magnetic Field Effects

Observations of the solar atmosphere show that internal gravity waves are generated by overshooting convection, but are suppressed at locations of magnetic flux, which is thought to be the result of mode conversion into magnetoacoustic waves. Here, we present a study of the acoustic-gravity wave spectrum emerging from a realistic, self-consistent simulation of solar (magneto)convection. A magnetic field free, hydrodynamic simulation and a magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) simulation with an initial, vertical, homogeneous field of 50 G flux density were carried out and compared with each other to highlight the effect of magnetic fields on the internal gravity wave propagation in the Sun’s atmosphere. We find that the internal gravity waves are absent or partially reflected back into the lower layers in the presence of magnetic fields and argue that the suppression is due to the coupling of internal gravity waves to slow magnetoacoustic waves still within the high- β region of the upper photosphere. The conversion to Alfvén waves is highly unlikely in our model because there is no strongly inclined magnetic field present. We argue that the suppression of internal waves observed within magnetic flux concentrations may also be due to nonlinear breaking of internal waves due to vortex flows that are ubiquitously present in the upper photosphere and the chromosphere.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2016

TRACING p -MODE WAVES FROM THE PHOTOSPHERE TO THE CORONA IN ACTIVE REGIONS

Atmosphere above sunspots is abundant with different types of waves. Among these waves are running penumbral waves in the chromosphere, quasi-periodic oscillations in the lower coronal loops, and recently reported running waves in sunspots’ photosphere, all of which were interpreted as magnetoacoustic waves by some authors. Are these waves in different atmospheric layers related to each other, what is the nature of these waves, and where are the ultimate sources of these waves? Applying a time–distance helioseismic analysis over a suite of multi-wavelength observations above a sunspot, we demonstrate that the helioseismic p -mode waves are able to channel up from the photosphere through the chromosphere and transition region into the corona, and that the magnetoacoustic waves observed in different atmospheric layers are a same wave originating from the photosphere but exhibiting differently under different physical conditions. We also show waves of different frequencies travel along different paths, which can be used to derive the physical properties of the atmosphere above sunspots. Our numerical simulation of traveling of waves from a subphotospheric source qualitatively resembles the observed properties of the waves and offers an interpretation of the shapes of the wavefronts above the photosphere.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2016

ON THE PROPERTIES OF SLOW MHD SAUSAGE WAVES WITHIN SMALL-SCALE PHOTOSPHERIC MAGNETIC STRUCTURES

The presence of magnetoacoustic waves in magnetic structures in the solar atmosphere is well-documented. Applying the technique of solar magneto-seismology (SMS) allows us to infer the background properties of these structures. Here, we aim to identify properties of the observed magnetoacoustic waves and study the background properties of magnetic structures within the lower solar atmosphere. Using the Dutch Open Telescope and Rapid Oscillations in the Solar Atmosphere instruments, we captured two series of high-resolution intensity images with short cadences of two isolated magnetic pores. Combining wavelet analysis and empirical mode decomposition (EMD), we determined characteristic periods within the cross-sectional (i.e., area) and intensity time series. Then, by applying the theory of linear magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), we identified the mode of these oscillations within the MHD framework. Several oscillations have been detected within these two magnetic pores. Their periods range from 3 to 20 minutes. Combining wavelet analysis and EMD enables us to confidently find the phase difference between the area and intensity oscillations. From these observed features, we concluded that the detected oscillations can be classified as slow sausage MHD waves. Furthermore, we determined several key properties of these oscillations such as the radial velocity perturbation, the magnetic field perturbation, and the vertical wavenumber using SMS. The estimated range of the related wavenumbers reveals that these oscillations are trapped within these magnetic structures. Our results suggest that the detected oscillations are standing harmonics, and this allows us to estimate the expansion factor of the waveguides by employing SMS. The calculated expansion factor ranges from 4 to 12.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1995

High amplitude waves in the expanding solar wind plasma

We simulated the 1-D nonlinear time-evolution of high-amplitude Alfven, slow and fast magnetoacoustic waves in the solar wind propagating outward at different angles to the mean magnetic (spiral) field, using the expanding box model. The simulation results for Alfven waves and fast magnetoacustic waves fit the observational constraints in the solar wind best, showing decreasing trends for energies and other rms-quantities due to expansion and the appearance of inward propagating waves as minor species in the wind. Inward propagating waves are generated by reflection of Alfven waves propagating at large angles to the magnetic field or they coincide with the occurrence of compressible fluctuations. In our simulations, fast and slow magnetoacoustic waves seem to have a level in the density-fluctuations which is too high when we compare with the observations. Furthermore, the evolution of energies for slow magnetoacoustic waves differs strongly from the evolution of fluctuation energies in situ.

Schmidt, J. M.↗

DOE OSTI2026

Magnetohydrodynamic Wave Mode Conversion in a Pseudostreamer Structure

The interaction of a fast magnetoacoustic wave with a magnetic null point in a pseudostreamer magnetic configuration is modeled. The incident fast wave is excited by an impulsive velocity driver located in the corona outside the Alfvén-acoustic equipartition layer. The fast wave front experiences refraction and wraps around the null point, while the front segment approaching the null point along the magnetic bisector passes through it. In the equipartition layer surrounding the null point, part of the fast wave energy is converted into slow magnetoacoustic waves. Slow waves propagate outward from the null point along the magnetic separatrices. The fronts of slow waves exhibit a characteristic chevron shape. The fast-to-slow mode conversion efficiency increases with the width of the initial perturbation, following a power-law dependence with an index of approximately 1.06. For initial wave amplitudes below about 10% of the local Alfvén speed, the dependence of the conversion efficiency on the initial amplitude is weak. After interacting with the null point, the amplitudes of the fast waves decrease significantly owing to energy conversion and the spreading of wave energy over a broad spatial domain. In contrast, the energy of slow waves remains concentrated in the vicinity of the magnetic separatrices, resulting in less pronounced geometric attenuation of these waves. These findings are consistent with observational reports of the interaction of a coronal fast wave with a pseudostreamer.

Zhong, Yu [Univ. of Warwick, Coventry (United King↗

DOE OSTI2016

CHROMOSPHERIC HEATING BY ACOUSTIC WAVES COMPARED TO RADIATIVE COOLING

Acoustic and magnetoacoustic waves are among the possible candidate mechanisms that heat the upper layers of the solar atmosphere. A weak chromospheric plage near the large solar pore NOAA 11005 was observed on 2008 October 15, in the Fe i 617.3 nm and Ca ii 853.2 nm lines of the Interferometric Bidimemsional Spectrometer attached to the Dunn Solar Telescope. In analyzing the Ca ii observations (with spatial and temporal resolutions of 0.″4 and 52 s) the energy deposited by acoustic waves is compared to that released by radiative losses. The deposited acoustic flux is estimated from the power spectra of Doppler oscillations measured in the Ca ii line core. The radiative losses are calculated using a grid of seven one-dimensional hydrostatic semi-empirical model atmospheres. The comparison shows that the spatial correlation of the maps of radiative losses and acoustic flux is 72%. In a quiet chromosphere, the contribution of acoustic energy flux to radiative losses is small, only about 15%. In active areas with a photospheric magnetic-field strength between 300 and 1300 G and an inclination of 20°–60°, the contribution increases from 23% (chromospheric network) to 54% (a plage). However, these values have to be considered as lower limits and it might be possible that the acoustic energy flux is the main contributor to the heating of bright chromospheric network and plages.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

NASA NTRS1986

Impulsively generated fast coronal pulsations

Rapid oscillations in the corona are discussed from a theoretical standpoint, developing some previous work on ducted, fast magnetoacoustic waves in an inhomogeneous medium. In the theory, impulsively (e.g., flare) generated mhd (magnetohydrodynamic) waves are ducted by regions of low Alfven speed (high density) such as coronal loops. Wave propagation in such ducts is strongly dispersive and closely akin to the behavior of Love waves in seismology, Pekeris waves in oceanography and guided waves in fiber optics. Such flare-generated magnetoacoustic waves possess distinctive temporal signatures consisting of periodic, quasi-periodic and decay phases. The quasi-periodic phase possesses the strongest amplitudes and the shortest time scales. Time scales are typically of the order of a second for inhomogeneities (coronal loop width) of 1000 km and Alfven speeds of 1000/kms, and pulse duration times are of tens of seconds. Quasi-periodic signatures have been observed in radio wavelengths for over a decade and more recently by SMM. It is hoped that the theoretical ideas outlined may be successfully related to these observations and thus aid the interpretation of oscillatory signatures recorded by SMM. Such signatures may also provide a diagnostic of coronal conditions. New aspects of the ducted mhd waves, for example their behavior in smoothly varying as opposed to tube-like inhomogeneities, are currently under investigation. The theory is not restricted to loops but applied equally to open field regions.

Edwin, P. M.↗

DOE OSTI2015

DETECTION OF FAST-MOVING WAVES PROPAGATING OUTWARD ALONG SUNSPOTS’ RADIAL DIRECTION IN THE PHOTOSPHERE

Helioseismic and magnetohydrodynamic waves are abundant in and above sunspots. Through cross-correlating oscillation signals in the photosphere observed by the Solar Dynamics Observatory/Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager, we reconstruct how waves propagate away from virtual wave sources located inside a sunspot. In addition to the usual helioseismic wave, a fast-moving wave is detected traveling along the sunspot’s radial direction from the umbra to about 15 Mm beyond the sunspot boundary. The wave has a frequency range of 2.5–4.0 mHz with a phase velocity of 45.3 km s{sup −1}, substantially faster than the typical speeds of Alfvén and magnetoacoustic waves in the photosphere. The observed phenomenon is consistent with a scenario of that a magnetoacoustic wave is excited at approximately 5 Mm beneath the sunspot. Its wavefront travels to and sweeps across the photosphere with a speed higher than the local magnetoacoustic speed. The fast-moving wave, if truly excited beneath the sunspot’s surface, will help open a new window for studying the internal structure and dynamics of sunspots.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗

DOE OSTI2011

Magnetoacoustic solitons in quantum plasma

Nonlinear magnetoacoustic waves in collisionless homogenous, magnetized quantum plasma is studied. Two fluid quantum magneto-hydrodynamic model (QMHD) is employed and reductive perturbation method is used to derive Korteweg de Vries (KdV) equation for magnetoacoustic waves. The effects of plasma density and magnetic field intensity are investigated on magnetoacoustic solitary structures in quantum plasma. The numerical results are also presented, which are applicable to explain some aspects of the propagation of nonlinear magnetoacosutic wave in dense astrophysical plasma situations.

70 PLASMA PHYSICS AND FUSION TECHNOLOGY↗

DOE OSTI2013

THE DECAYING LONG-PERIOD OSCILLATION OF A STELLAR MEGAFLARE

We analyze and interpret the oscillatory signal in the decay phase of the U-band light curve of a stellar megaflare observed on 2009 January 16 on the dM4.5e star YZ CMi. The oscillation is well approximated by an exponentially decaying harmonic function. The period of the oscillation is found to be 32 minutes, the decay time about 46 minutes, and the relative amplitude 15%. As this observational signature is typical of the longitudinal oscillations observed in solar flares at extreme ultraviolet and radio wavelengths, associated with standing slow magnetoacoustic waves, we suggest that this megaflare may be of a similar nature. In this scenario, macroscopic variations of the plasma parameters in the oscillations modulate the ejection of non-thermal electrons. The phase speed of the longitudinal (slow magnetoacoustic) waves in the flaring loop or arcade, the tube speed, of about 230 km s{sup -1} would require a loop length of about 200 Mm. Other mechanisms, such as standing kink oscillations, are also considered.

79 ASTRONOMY AND ASTROPHYSICS↗