Present and Future Observing Trends in Atmospheric Magnetoseismology

Abstract

With modern imaging and spectral instruments observing in the visible, EUV, X-ray, and radio wavelengths, the detection of oscillations in the solar outer atmosphere has become a routine event. These oscillations are considered to be the signatures of a wave phenomenon and are generally interpreted in terms of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves. With multiwavelength observations from ground-and space-based instruments, it has been possible to detect waves in a number of different wavelengths simultaneously and, consequently, to study their propagation properties. Observed MHD waves propagating from the lower solar atmosphere into the higher regions of the magnetized corona have the potential to provide excellent insight into the physical processes at work at the coupling point between these different regions of the Sun. High-resolution wave observations combined with forward MHD modeling can give an unprecedented insight into the connectivity of the magnetized solar atmosphere, which further provides us with a realistic chance to reconstruct the structure of the magnetic field in the solar atmosphere. This type of solar exploration has been termed atmospheric magnetoseismology. In this review we will summarize some new trends in the observational study of waves and oscillations, discussing their origin and their propagation through the atmosphere. In particular, we will focus on waves and oscillations in open magnetic structures (e.g., solar plumes) and closed magnetic structures (e.g., 4 D. Banerjee et al. loops and prominences), where there have been a number of observational highlights in the past few years. Furthermore, we will address observations of waves in filament fibrils allied with a better characterization of their propagating and damping properties, the detection of prominence oscillations in UV lines, and the renewed interest in large-amplitude, quickly attenuated, prominence oscillations, caused by flare or explosive phenomena.

Time damping of non-adiabatic magnetohydrodynamic waves in a partially ionised prominence medium: Effect of a background flow

“…Using ground and space-based observations, small-amplitude oscillations in prominences and filaments have been observed and details about their properties can be found in Oliver & Ballester (2002), Banerjee et al (2007), Oliver (2009), andMackay et al (2010). These oscillations are mainly detected by the periodic Doppler shifts of spectral lines, with periods from a few minutes to hours, and one interesting feature is that they are damped in time.…”

Energy and energy flux in axisymmetric slow and fast waves

“…These structures have been observed to support different oscillatory magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) modes (for recent reviews see Banerjee et al 2007;De Moortel 2009;De Moortel & Nakariakov 2012). Magnetohydrodynamic waves are important for several reasons.…”

“…First, they can be used to calculate the important background plasma parameters using MHD seismology of the solar atmosphere (e.g. Andries et al 2005Andries et al , 2009Banerjee et al 2007;De Moortel & Nakariakov 2012). Second, because MHD waves can carry energy over large distances, it has historically been thought that they can play a major role in the heating of the corona.…”

Standing sausage modes in coronal loops with plasma flow

“…This rapidly growing branch of solar physics, with its applications now extended beyond the solar corona (e.g., Banerjee et al 2007), gained its theoretical foundation with a detailed analysis of the modes collectively supported by a straight magnetic cylinder with density higher than in its surroundings (Edwin & Roberts 1983;and also Zaitsev & Stepanov 1975). The axially symmetric mode, for which the azimuthal wavenumber is zero, is among the infinitely many collective modes.…”