Reflection and trapping of transient Alfven waves propagating in an isothermal atmosphere with constant gravity and uniform magnetic field

Abstract

view Abstract Citations (60) References (14) Co-Reads Similar Papers Volume Content Graphics Metrics Export Citation NASA/ADS Reflection and trapping of transient Alfven waves propagating in an isothermal atmosphere with constant gravity and uniform magnetic field An, C. -H. ; Musielak, Z. E. ; Moore, R. L. ; Suess, S. T. Abstract A time-dependent linear magnetohydrodynamic numerical model was used to investigate the propagation of Alfven waves in an isothermal and stratified atmosphere with constant gravity and uniform vertical magnetic field. Results show that the Alfven wave transit time for the wave source to infinity is finite and that the wave exhibits continuous partial reflection which becomes total reflection as the front approaches infinity. The total reflection causes the waves to be trapped in the cavity that extends from the wave source to infinity and in which the wave energy is stored. The results suggest that the reflection of Alfven waves (of sufficiently long period) from the outer corona is an intrinsic phenomenon for any stellar atmosphere stratified by gravity and an open magnetic field, and that, therefore, such waves may be trapped in the stellar atmosphere. Publication: The Astrophysical Journal Pub Date: October 1989 DOI: 10.1086/167933 Bibcode: 1989ApJ...345..597A Keywords: Computational Astrophysics; Magnetohydrodynamic Waves; Stellar Atmospheres; Stellar Magnetic Fields; Wave Propagation; Gravitational Effects; Kinetic Energy; Magnetic Field Configurations; Solar Wind; Stellar Coronas; Trapping; Wave Reflection; Astrophysics full text sources ADS |