On the Thermal Stability of Coronal Loop Plasma,
Abstract
We consider the stability to thermal perturbation of static models of coronal loops. The effects of cool, radiatively stable material at the loop base are included. The linear stability turns out to be sensitive only to the boundary conditions assumed on the velocity at the loop base. The question of the appropriate boundary conditions is discussed, and we conclude that the free-surface condition (the pressure perturbation vanishes), rather than the rigid-wall (the velocity vanishes), is relevant to the solar case. We find that the static models are thermally unstable, with a growth time of the order of the coronal cooling time. The physical implications of these results for the solar corona and transition-region are discussed.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Aug 01, 1982
- Accession Number
- ADA120524
Entities
People
- A. G. Emslie
- C.-h. An
- E. C. Shoub
- S. K. Antiochos
Organizations
- Stanford University