Coronal Heating by Magnetohydrodynamic Turbulence Driven by Reflected Low-Frequency Waves

Abstract

A candidate mechanism for the heating of the solar corona in open field line regions is described. The interaction of Alfve n waves, generated in the photosphere or chromosphere, with their reflections and the subsequent driving of quasi-two-dimensional MHD turbulence is considered. A nonlinear cascade drives fluctuations toward short wavelengths which are transverse to the mean field, thereby heating at rates insensitive to restrictive Alfve n timescales. A phenomenology is presented, providing estimates of achievable heating efficiency that are most favorable.