NASA Logo

NTRS

NTRS - NASA Technical Reports Server

Back to Results
The direction of heat flow in an expanding current free stellar atmosphereThe energy budgets of the corona are substantially influenced by losses attributed to thermal conduction losses down the transition region, towards the chromosphere. Although Fourier law for such a plasma regime is now universally criticized as inappropriate, the direction of this heat flow seems to be certain. The purpose of this paper is to point out, based on conservation laws, the direction in which the heat must flow in this regime, provided it is known that there is a time independent expansion devoid of parallel currents. It will be argued that the direction of the heat flux is from the base of the transition region up into the corona, rather than the opposite. Under the circumstances mentioned above, the direction of the heat flow should be opposite to the gradient of the electron pressure gradient. Although the transition region is modeled as isobaric, this is only approximately true. Such a likely scenario makes the heat flow almost certainly to flow from the lower temperature base of the TR up into the incipient corona if a steady state current free expansion is to be maintained.
Document ID
19960021371
Acquisition Source
Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Scudder, J. D.
(Iowa Univ. Iowa City, IA United States)
Date Acquired
August 17, 2013
Publication Date
June 30, 1995
Subject Category
Solar Physics
Accession Number
96N24767
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

Available Downloads

There are no available downloads for this record.
No Preview Available