Deposited power density Q as a function of propagation distance for a representative beam in set 1 in Fig. 3 for two separate simulations, one with magnetic gradient forces (points with colour varying between blue and red) and one without (green points). The colours for the former simulation indicate the local relative change in magnetic flux density B with distance s. Blue colours imply that the magnetic field decreases in strength in the direction of propagation, while red colours imply that the magnetic field increases in strength. The local plasma mass density is shown as a solid grey curve. The right panel with a yellow background gives a magnified view of the plot in the left panel around the lower atmosphere, over the distance range indicated by the yellow band in the left panel. The labelled vertical lines mark locations of interest along the trajectory: (a) is near the site of injection, (b) is at the first coronal peak in Q, (c) is at the second coronal peak present only in the simulation with magnetic gradient forces, and (d) is near the peaks in Q below the transition region. The beam has ℱ_beam, 0 ≈ 1.4 × 10⁴ erg s⁻¹ cm⁻² and E_c ≈ 5 keV.