  The detection of upward propagating internal gravity waves at the base of the
Sun's chromosphere has recently been reported by Straus et al., who postulated
that these may efficiently couple to Alfven waves in magnetic regions. This may
be important in transporting energy to higher levels. Here we explore the
propagation, reflection and mode conversion of linear gravity waves in a VAL C
atmosphere, and find that even weak magnetic fields usually reflect gravity
waves back downward as slow magnetoacoustic waves well before they reach the
Alfven/acoustic equipartition height at which mode conversion might occur.
However, for certain highly inclined magnetic field orientations in which the
gravity waves manage to penetrate near or through the equipartition level,
there can be substantial conversion to either or both upgoing Alfven and
acoustic waves. Wave energy fluxes comparable to the chromospheric radiative
losses are expected.
