Spectroscopic signature of Alfv\'en waves damping in a polar coronal hole up to 0.4 solar radii

Between February 24-25, 2009, the EIS spectrometer onboard the Hinode spacecraft performed special “sit & stare” observations above the South polar coronal hole continuously over more than 22 hours. Spectra were acquired with the 1" slit placed off-limb covering altitudes up to 0.48 R${}_{\odot }$ ($3.34\times {10}^2$ Mm) above the Sun surface, in order to study with EIS the non-thermal spectral line broadenings. Spectral lines such as Fe {\sc xii} $\lambda$186.88, Fe {\sc xii} $\lambda$193.51, Fe {\sc xii} $\lambda$195.12 and Fe {\sc xiii} $\lambda$202.04 are observed with good statistics up to high altitudes and they have been analyzed in this study. Results show that the FWHM of Fe {\sc xii} $\lambda$195.12 line increases up to $\simeq 0.14$ R${}_{\odot }$, then decreases higher up. EIS stray light has been estimated and removed. Derived electron density and non-thermal velocity profiles have been used to estimate the total energy flux transported by Alfv'en waves off-limb in polar coronal hole up to $\simeq 0.4$ R${}_{\odot }$. The computed Alfv'en wave energy flux density $f_w$ progressively decays with altitude from $f_w \simeq 1.2 \cdot 10^6$ergcm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$at0.03R$\odot$downto$f_w \simeq 8.5 \cdot 10^3$ergcm$^{-2}$s$^{-1}$at0.4R$\odot$, with an average energy decay rate $\mathrm{\Delta }{f}_w\mathrm{/}\mathrm{\Delta }h\simeq -4.5\cdot {10}^{-5}$ erg cm${}^{-3}$ s${}^{-1}$. Hence, this result suggests energy deposition by Alfv'en waves in a polar coronal hole, thus providing a significant source for coronal heating.