MHD waves and heating of the solar corona

Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves play an important role in the solar atmosphere both directly (or intrinsically), e.g. as the main drivers or causes of atmospheric phenomena, and indirectly, e.g. as diagnostic tools for investigating the inner structure and physical properties of the magnetic configurations observed on the Sun. As a matter of fact, this research domain is actually a 'hot topic' in solar physics due to the recent abundant evidence for MHD waves in the solar atmosphere from space observations. Magnetic waves and oscillations seem to be present in all magnetic structures as they are observed in coronal loops, plumes, prominences, sunspots, arcades, etc., providing the opportunity for coronal seismology. The theory of the generation, propagation, and dissipation of the different types of linear MHD waves is briefly reviewed in the context of the inhomogeneous, magnetically structured solar atmosphere. Particular attention is given to the intriguing problem of the dissipation of coronal MHD waves and its possible role in coronal heating and the acceleration of the solar wind.status: publishe