Hydromagnetic Waves in Magnetic Flux Tubes

Extract

In discussions of the non-radiative propagation of energy through stellar atmospheres hydromagnetic waves, or in their more specialized form Alfven waves, have played an increasingly important role. Parker (1974) has suggested that they provide the cooling mechanism for sunspots, while Piddington (1974) has attempted to explain the flare energy supply in terms of hydromagnetic energy transport. While most analyses assume a homogeneous magnetic field extending to infinity in a compressible but unstratified atmosphere, it is important to remember that most astrophysical plasmas are gravitationally stratified and that the magnetic fields are highly inhomogeneous, exhibiting a variety of different structures.