In a new study published in The Astrophysical Journal, a researcher from The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the Univer
"In a new study published in The Astrophysical Journal, a researcher from The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, explores critical aspects of a phenomenon called kinetic Alfvén waves (KAWs) to provide fresh insights into an age-old heliophysics mystery.
Syed Ayaz, a graduate research assistant at the UAH Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR), examined the potentially pivotal role of KAWs in heating the solar corona, moving science one step closer to solving the puzzle of why the corona is many times hotter than the surface of the sun itself.
"For decades, Alfvén waves have been proven to be the best candidates for transporting energy from one place to another," Ayaz says, noting the potential role of KAWs in driving coronal heat.
"This paper utilizes a novel approach to model energetic particles in space plasmas, as observed by satellites like Viking and Freja, to answer how the electromagnetic energy of the waves, interacting with particles, transforms into heat during the damping process as the waves move through space."
"The corona, or solar atmosphere, is an enigmatic region surrounding our home star that extends far beyond the visible disk of the sun, stretching some 8 million kilometers above the sun's surface. Yet, the corona is also characterized by extraordinarily high temperatures, a mystery that has captivated astrophysicists for nearly seventy years."
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