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A semi‐kinetic model of wave‐ion interaction in the solar corona
Author(s) -
Vocks C.,
Marsch E.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2000gl012764
Subject(s) - physics , corona (planetary geology) , computational physics , kinetic energy , distribution function , solar radius , solar wind , magnetic field , mechanics , classical mechanics , coronal mass ejection , thermodynamics , quantum mechanics , astrobiology , venus
A semi‐kinetic model of the ions in the solar corona is presented, which includes the effects of wave‐particle interactions and Coulomb collisions. At the coronal base a spectrum of Alfvén waves is assumed. The spatiotemporal evolution of the spectrum in a 2‐D computational domain is determined, taking the absorption of the waves by the particles into account. Integration over the velocity components perpendicular to the magnetic field yields “reduced” velocity distribution functions, for which a Vlasov equation is derived and solved numerically. The results obtained for a model of the heating process in a coronal funnel and in the lower corona are presented. The calculated velocity distribution functions show distinct kinetic effects and reflect key properties of the corona as observed by SOHO.