[Previous] | [Session 1] | [Next]
S.S. Hasan (Indian Institute of Astrophysics), W. Kalkofen (Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics)
We examine the nature of wave excitation in the magnetic network of the Sun through the footpoint motion of photospheric magnetic flux tubes located in intergranular lanes. This contribution builds on earlier work (Hasan & Kalkofen 1999, ApJ 519, 899) where it was suggested that impulsively generated MHD kink, or transverse, waves can contribute efficiently to chromospheric heating. On the other hand, it was argued that this scenario for heating the magnetic network would produce "strongly intermittent chromospheric emission consisting of brief, intense flashes superimposed on a very low background" (Hasan, Kalkofen & van Ballegooijen 2000, ApJL, in press). In this paper, we analyse in greater detail the consequences based on the above picture by adopting different forms for the footpoint point velocity. We compute the transverse wave energy flux injected into the chromosphere through (a) impulsive and (b) turbulent footpoint motions. Finally, we point out observational implication of our calculations.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: hasan@iiap.ernet.in