Possible signature of Alfvén wave dissipation in the localized magnetic funnels of the equatorial solar corona

Abstract

Abstract We analyse the Hinode/EIS 2″-spectroscopic scan data containing the spectral line formed at typical inner coronal temperature. The strong Fe xii 195.120 Å line shows the existence of funnel-like expanding flux-tubes which exhibit the signature of blue-/red-shifted plasma motions in the off-limb equatorial corona. These coronal funnels expand in the form of open magnetic field channels up to inner coronal heights. They are most likely the parts of large-scale and closed magnetic fields (loops) which exist at higher heights in the diffused equatorial corona. We also find the signature of decreasing line-widths with altitude in observed coronal funnels (e.g., funnel 1), which is the lower part of a curved loop system. This provides the most likely signature of Alfvén wave dissipation in lower part of this loop system. We also examine the blue-shifted and diffused coronal loop boundary and interfaced region (funnel 3) which shows increasing Fe xii 195.120 Å line-width along it. Therefore, it exhibits the most likely signature of Alfvén wave growth in this region which is slightly curved and rising higher in the corona. Density measurements in these funnels show that it falls off with height, but more rapidly in the second funnel. We conjecture the almost constant line-width trend as a most likely signature of Alfvén wave dissipation in this density-stratified second coronal funnel, which is also the lower part of a large-scale closed loop system. Both dissipative and growing Alfvén waves can change the non-thermal component and thus the full width at half-maximum of the Fe xii 195.120 Å line. We find the clues of Alfvén wave dissipation along the expanding field lines of the coronal funnel (lower parts of the loop system) imparting its energy to the outflowing plasma and thereby contributing to the formation of the nascent solar wind in the inner corona.