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Main Authors: Silva, Suzana S. A., Dakanalis, Ioannis, Schiavo, Luiz A. C. A., Tziotziou, Kostas, Ballai, Istvan, Jafarzadeh, Shahin, Pereira, Tiago M. D., Tsiropoula, Georgia, Verth, Gary, Esnaola, Iñaki, McLaughlin, James A., Botha, Gert J. J., Fedun, Viktor
Format: Preprint
Published: 2025
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Online Access:https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.02895
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author Silva, Suzana S. A.
Dakanalis, Ioannis
Schiavo, Luiz A. C. A.
Tziotziou, Kostas
Ballai, Istvan
Jafarzadeh, Shahin
Pereira, Tiago M. D.
Tsiropoula, Georgia
Verth, Gary
Esnaola, Iñaki
McLaughlin, James A.
Botha, Gert J. J.
Fedun, Viktor
author_facet Silva, Suzana S. A.
Dakanalis, Ioannis
Schiavo, Luiz A. C. A.
Tziotziou, Kostas
Ballai, Istvan
Jafarzadeh, Shahin
Pereira, Tiago M. D.
Tsiropoula, Georgia
Verth, Gary
Esnaola, Iñaki
McLaughlin, James A.
Botha, Gert J. J.
Fedun, Viktor
contents The Sun's atmosphere hosts swirling plasma structures, known as solar vortices, which have long been thought to channel wave energy into higher layers. Until now, no direct observations have confirmed their role in the heating of the atmosphere. Here, we present the first direct evidence that solar vortices act as structured waveguides, carrying magnetoacoustic modes (waves that behave like sound waves but travel through magnetized plasma) that leave clear wave-heating signatures. By mapping vortex regions at multiple heights and analysing the waves they contain, we show that magnetoacoustic waves efficiently transfer energy, offset losses from radiation, and dominate energy transport in the lower chromosphere. These results challenge the long-standing assumption that vortices primarily support twisting disturbances traveling along magnetic field lines (Alfven waves), revealing instead that magnetoacoustic modes play the leading role in the lower atmosphere. This redefines the role of vortices in magnetized plasmas and has broader implications for wave-plasma interactions in regions of strong magnetic fields.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2509_02895
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Solar Vortices as Conduits for Magnetoacoustic Waves: Multi-Layer Coupling and Their Role in Atmospheric Heating
Silva, Suzana S. A.
Dakanalis, Ioannis
Schiavo, Luiz A. C. A.
Tziotziou, Kostas
Ballai, Istvan
Jafarzadeh, Shahin
Pereira, Tiago M. D.
Tsiropoula, Georgia
Verth, Gary
Esnaola, Iñaki
McLaughlin, James A.
Botha, Gert J. J.
Fedun, Viktor
Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Plasma Physics
The Sun's atmosphere hosts swirling plasma structures, known as solar vortices, which have long been thought to channel wave energy into higher layers. Until now, no direct observations have confirmed their role in the heating of the atmosphere. Here, we present the first direct evidence that solar vortices act as structured waveguides, carrying magnetoacoustic modes (waves that behave like sound waves but travel through magnetized plasma) that leave clear wave-heating signatures. By mapping vortex regions at multiple heights and analysing the waves they contain, we show that magnetoacoustic waves efficiently transfer energy, offset losses from radiation, and dominate energy transport in the lower chromosphere. These results challenge the long-standing assumption that vortices primarily support twisting disturbances traveling along magnetic field lines (Alfven waves), revealing instead that magnetoacoustic modes play the leading role in the lower atmosphere. This redefines the role of vortices in magnetized plasmas and has broader implications for wave-plasma interactions in regions of strong magnetic fields.
title Solar Vortices as Conduits for Magnetoacoustic Waves: Multi-Layer Coupling and Their Role in Atmospheric Heating
topic Solar and Stellar Astrophysics
Plasma Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2509.02895