FILAMENTATION INSTABILITY OF NONLINEAR ALFVEN WAVES AND PLASMA-HEATING ASSOCIATED WITH RECOMBINATION EFFECT

We investigate plasma heating associated with the effect of recombinat ion and the filamentation instability of Alfven waves propagating alon g homogeneous magnetic field in low-beta plasmas, by using an MHD simu lation code. The linear instability of Alfven waves leading to the fil amentation is investigated by imposing small density perturbations acr oss a magnetic field. We show results of the nonlinear stage of the ab ove filamentation instability and the plasma hearing through a two-dim ensional simulation. It is shown that the plasma heating is caused by localized heating and whole heating, which are associated with the fil amentation instability and the effect of recombination, respectively. We discuss the implication of these results for plasma heating process es observed in the chromosphere of the Sun.