Propagation and energy dissipation of shock waves in the solar chromosphere

ABSTRACT The solar atmosphere is permeated by various types of waves that originate from subsurface convection. As these waves propagate upward, they encounter they encounter a steep decrease in the density of the medium, leading to their steepening into shock waves. These shock waves typically exhibit a characteristic sawtooth pattern in wavelength–time ($\lambda$–t) plots of various chromospheric spectral lines, viz., H $\alpha$, Ca ii 8542 Å to name a few. In this study, we investigate the propagation of shock waves in the lower solar atmosphere using coordinated observations from the Swedish 1-meter Solar Telescope (SST), the Interface Region Imaging Spectrograph (IRIS), and the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). Our analysis reveals that after forming in the chromosphere, these shock waves travel upward through the solar atmosphere, with their signatures detectable not only in the transition region but also in low coronal passbands. These shock waves dissipate their energy into the chromosphere as they propagate. In certain cases, the energy deposited by these waves is comparable to the radiative losses of the chromosphere, highlighting their potential role in chromospheric heating. Our findings reported here provide crucial insights into wave dynamics in the lower solar atmosphere and their contribution to the energy transport process in the chromosphere.