Dynamics of the Solar Corona

GOMEZ, DANIEL

Trieste

Congreso; ICTP School on Analytical and Computational Astrophysics; 2011

Intenational Centre for Theoretical Physics

Because of its proximity, our Sun provides a unique opportunity to performhigh resolution observations of its outer layers throughout the whole electro-magnetic spectrum. We can also theoretically model most of the fascinatingphysical phenomena taking place on the Sun, as well as their impact on thesolar system.Many of these phenomena can be properly studied within the frame-work of magnetohydrodynamics. More specifically, we assume a fully ionizedhydrogen plasma and adopt the more comprehensive two-fluid magnetohy-drodynamic approximation. For problems such as the solar wind or magneticloops in the solar corona, which are shaped by a relatively strong mean mag-netic field, the reduced magnetohydrodynamic approximation is often used.We will review the basic features of both two-fluid and one-fluid mag-netohydrodynamics, and focus on two particular applications: the turbulentheating of coronal active regions and the dynamics of the solar wind.