Phase-mixing in Dissipative Alfvén Waves

The phase-mixing mechanism first proposed as a coronal heating mechanism by Heyvaerts and Priest (1983) is examined using a length-scale analysis adapted from Cally (1991). This allows parameter ranges other than those studied by Heyvaerts and Priest (1983) to be described, together with a detailed examination of the transfer of energy to both longer and shorter length-scales as the Alfvén wave front evolves in the solar corona. The results of Heyvaerts and Priest (1983) are largely confirmed, but with some notable differences. Energy initially at smaller length-scales decays faster than their rate, because the plasma is more strongly dissipative at smaller length-scales. The full inclusion of diffusion across field lines also leads to smoother Alfvén wavefronts.