On MHD wave propagation in inhomogeneous plasmas and the mechanism of resonant absorption

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Abstract
The propagation of MHD waves in inhomogeneous plasmas is discussed using both the eikonal and differential equation approaches. The cusp resonance, which arises in a compressible plasma, and has been largely ignored in the literature, is discussed in some detail. Resonant heating may take place at those locations where the phase-speed of an incident wave matches the local Alfvén or cusp speeds. The Alfvén resonance can only be excited by wave tunnelling, whereas the cusp resonance is excited by propagating slow waves. Cusp resonance by slow waves may therefore be important as a means of heating the solar corona.

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