Estimating the energy dissipation from Kelvin-Helmholtz instability induced turbulence in oscillating coronal loops
Hillier, A; Van Doorsselaere, T; Karampelas, K
Date: 1 July 2020
Journal
Astrophysical Journal Letters
Publisher
IOP Publishing / American Astronomical Society
Publisher DOI
Abstract
Kelvin-Helmholtz instability induced turbulence is one promising mechanism by which loops in the
solar corona can be heated by MHD waves. In this paper we present an analytical model of the
dissipation rate of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability induced turbulence εD, finding it scales as the wave
amplitude (d) to the third power (εD ∝ ...
Kelvin-Helmholtz instability induced turbulence is one promising mechanism by which loops in the
solar corona can be heated by MHD waves. In this paper we present an analytical model of the
dissipation rate of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability induced turbulence εD, finding it scales as the wave
amplitude (d) to the third power (εD ∝ d
3
). Based on the concept of steady-state turbulence, we
expect the turbulence heating throughout the volume of the loop to match the total energy injected
through its footpoints. In situations where this holds, the wave amplitude has to vary as the cube-root
of the injected energy. Comparing the analytic results with those of simulations shows that our analytic
formulation captures the key aspects of the turbulent dissipation from the numerical work. Applying
this model to the observed characteristics of decayless kink waves we predict that the amplitudes of
these observed waves is insufficient to turbulently heat the solar corona.
Mathematics and Statistics
Faculty of Environment, Science and Economy
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