Energy Transfer by Nonlinear Alfvén Waves in the Solar Chromosphere and Its Effect on Spicule Dynamics, Coronal Heating, and Solar Wind Acceleration

Abstract

Abstract Alfvén waves are responsible for the transfer of magnetic energy in magnetized plasma. They are involved in heating the solar atmosphere and driving solar wind through various nonlinear processes. Because the magnetic field configurations directly affect the nonlinearity of Alfvén waves, it is important to investigate how they relate to the solar atmosphere and wind structure through the nonlinear propagation of Alfvén waves. In this study, we carried out one-dimensional magnetohydrodynamic simulations to realize the above relation. The results show that when the nonlinearity of Alfvén waves in the chromosphere exceeds a critical value, the dynamics of the solar chromosphere (e.g., spicule) and the mass-loss rate of solar wind tend to be independent of the energy input from the photosphere. In a situation where the Alfvén waves are highly nonlinear, the strong shear torsional flow generated in the chromosphere “fractures” the magnetic flux tube. This corresponds to the formation of chromospheric intermediate shocks, which limit the transmission of the Poynting flux into the corona by Alfvén waves and also inhibits the propagation of chromospheric slow shock.