Bibcode
Vranjes, J.; Kono, M.; Luna, M.
Bibliographical reference
Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, Volume 455, Issue 4, p.3901-3909
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2
2016
Citations
2
Refereed citations
2
Description
The effects of charge exchange on waves propagating in weakly ionized
plasmas are discussed. It is shown that for low-frequency processes,
ions and neutrals should be treated as a single fluid with some
effective charge on all of them. We have derived a new momentum equation
which should be used in such an environment. As a result, the
low-frequency magnetic waves can propagate even if particles are not
magnetized, which is entirely due to the charge exchange and the fact
that it is not possible to separate particles into two different
populations as charged and neutral species. So there can be no friction
force between ions and neutrals in the usual sense. The mean force per
particle is proportional to the ionization ratio
ni/(ni + nn). Regarding the application
of the theory to the Alfvén wave propagation in the lower solar
atmosphere, the results predict that the plane of displacement of the
fluid must change by 90 deg when an Alfvén wave propagates from
the area where particles are un-magnetized (photosphere) to the area
where they are magnetized (chromosphere). Because of the most accurate
cross-sections which we have here, it is possible to very accurately
determine altitudes at which such rotation of the Alfvén wave
takes place.