Motion magnification in coronal seismology

We introduce a new method for the investigation of low-amplitude transverse oscillations of solar plasma non-uniformities, such as coronal loops, individual strands in coronal arcades, jets, prominence fibrils, polar plumes, and other contrast features, observed with imaging instruments. The method is based on the two-dimensional dual tree complex wavelet transform (DT$\mathbb{C}$WT). It allows us to magnify transverse, in the plane-of-the-sky, quasi-periodic motions of contrast features in image sequences. The tests performed on the artificial data cubes imitating exponentially decaying, multi-periodic and frequency-modulated kink oscillations of coronal loops showed the effectiveness, reliability and robustness of this technique. The algorithm was found to give linear scaling of the magnified amplitudes with the original amplitudes provided they are sufficiently small. Also, the magnification is independent of the oscillation period in a broad range of the periods. The application of this technique to SDO/AIA EUV data cubes of a non-flaring active region allowed for the improved detection of low-amplitude decay-less oscillations in the majority of loops.Comment: Accepted for publication in Solar Physic

Casting the Coronal Magnetic Field Reconstruction Tools in 3D Using MHD Bifrost Model

Quantifying coronal magnetic field remains a central problem in solar physics. Nowadays the coronal magnetic field is often modelled using nonlinear force-free field (NLFFF) reconstructions, whose accuracy has not yet been comprehensively assessed. Here we perform a detailed casting of the NLFFF reconstruction tools, such as pi-disambiguation, photospheric field preprocessing, and volume reconstruction methods using a 3D snapshot of the publicly available full-fledged radiative MHD model. Specifically, from the MHD model we know the magnetic field vector in the entire 3D domain, which enables us to perform "voxel-by-voxel" comparison of the restored and the true magnetic field in the 3D model volume. Our tests show that the available pi-disambiguation methods often fail at the quiet sun areas dominated by small-scale magnetic elements, while they work well at the AR photosphere and (even better) chromosphere. The preprocessing of the photospheric magnetic field, although does produce a more force-free boundary condition, also results in some effective `elevation' of the magnetic field components. This `elevation' height is different for the longitudinal and transverse components, which results in a systematic error in absolute heights in the reconstructed magnetic data cube. The extrapolations performed starting from actual AR photospheric magnetogram are free from this systematic error, while have other metrics comparable with those for extrapolations from the preprocessed magnetograms. This finding favors the use of extrapolations from the original photospheric magnetogram without preprocessing. Our tests further suggest that extrapolations from a force-free chromospheric boundary produce measurably better results, than those from the photospheric boundary.Comment: Replaces the previous submission to fix minor errors in a few figures and Tables 12 and 14. No conclusion is affected by the identified errors. 26 pages, 18 Figures, 14 Tables; 6 animated Figures are published in the journal versio

Magnetohydrodynamic seismology of quiet solar active regions

The ubiquity of recently discovered low-amplitude decayless kink oscillations of plasma loops allows for the seismological probing of the corona on a regular basis. In particular, in contrast to traditionally applied seismology that is based on the large-amplitude decaying kink oscillations excited by flares and eruptions, decayless oscillations can potentially provide the diagnostics necessary for their forecasting. We analyzed decayless kink oscillations in several distinct loops belonging to active region NOAA 12107 on 2010 July 10 during its quiet time period, when it was observed on the west limb in extreme ultraviolet by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The oscillation periods were estimated with the use of the motion magnification technique. The lengths of the oscillating loops were determined within the assumption of its semicircular shape by measuring the position of their footpoints. The density contrast in the loops was estimated from the observed intensity contrast accounting for the unknown spatial scale of the background plasma. The combination of those measurements allows us to determine the distribution of kink and Alfvén speeds in the active region. Thus, we demonstrate the possibility of obtaining seismological information about coronal active regions during the quiet periods of time

Decayless low-amplitude kink oscillations : a common phenomenon in the solar corona?

Context. We investigate the decayless regime of coronal kink oscillations recently discovered in the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO)/AIA data. In contrast to decaying kink oscillations that are excited by impulsive dynamical processes, this type of transverse oscillations is not connected to any external impulsive impact, such as a flare or coronal mass ejection, and does not show any significant decay. Moreover the amplitude of these decayless oscillations is typically lower than that of decaying oscillations. Aims. The aim of this research is to estimate the prevalence of this phenomenon and its characteristic signatures. Methods. We analysed 21 active regions (NOAA 11637–11657) observed in January 2013 in the 171 Å channel of SDO/AIA. For each active region we inspected six hours of observations, constructing time-distance plots for the slits positioned across pronounced bright loops. The oscillatory patterns in time-distance plots were visually identified and the oscillation periods and amplitudes were measured. We also estimated the length of each oscillating loop. Results. Low-amplitude decayless kink oscillations are found to be present in the majority of the analysed active regions. The oscillation periods lie in the range from 1.5 to 10 min. In two active regions with insufficient observation conditions we did not identify any oscillation patterns. The oscillation periods are found to increase with the length of the oscillating loop. Conclusions. The considered type of coronal oscillations is a common phenomenon in the corona. The established dependence of the oscillation period on the loop length is consistent with their interpretation in terms of standing kink waves

Empirical mode decomposition analysis of random processes in the solar atmosphere

Context. Coloured noisy components with a power law spectral energy distribution are often shown to appear in solar signals of various types. Such a frequency-dependent noise may indicate the operation of various randomly distributed dynamical processes in the solar atmosphere. Aims. We develop a recipe for the correct usage of the empirical mode decomposition (EMD) technique in the presence of coloured noise, allowing for clear distinguishing between quasi-periodic oscillatory phenomena in the solar atmosphere and superimposed random background processes. For illustration, we statistically investigate extreme ultraviolet (EUV) emission intensity variations observed with SDO/AIA in the coronal (171 Å), chromospheric (304 Å), and upper photospheric (1600 Å) layers of the solar atmosphere, from a quiet sun and a sunspot umbrae region. Methods. EMD has been used for analysis because of its adaptive nature and essential applicability to the processing non-stationary and amplitude-modulated time series. For the comparison of the results obtained with EMD, we use the Fourier transform technique as an etalon. Results. We empirically revealed statistical properties of synthetic coloured noises in EMD, and suggested a scheme that allows for the detection of noisy components among the intrinsic modes obtained with EMD in real signals. Application of the method to the solar EUV signals showed that they indeed behave randomly and could be represented as a combination of different coloured noises characterised by a specific value of the power law indices in their spectral energy distributions. On the other hand, 3-min oscillations in the analysed sunspot were detected to have energies significantly above the corresponding noise level. Conclusions. The correct accounting for the background frequency-dependent random processes is essential when using EMD for analysis of oscillations in the solar atmosphere. For the quiet sun region the power law index was found to increase with height above the photosphere, indicating that the higher frequency processes are trapped deeper in the quiet sun atmosphere. In contrast, lower levels of the sunspot umbrae were found to be characterised by higher values of the power law index, meaning the domination of lower frequencies deep inside the sunspot atmosphere. Comparison of the EMD results with those obtained with the Fourier transform showed good consistency, justifying the applicability of EMD

Undamped transverse oscillations of coronal loops as a self-oscillatory process

Context. Standing transverse oscillations of coronal loops are observed to operate in two regimes, the rapidly decaying large amplitude oscillations, and undamped small amplitude oscillations. In the latter regime the damping should be compensated by energy supply, which allows the loop to perform almost monochromatic oscillations with almost constant amplitude. Different loops oscillate with different periods. The oscillation amplitude does not show dependence on the loop length or the oscillation period. Aims. We aim to develop a low-dimensional model explaining the undamped kink oscillations as a self-oscillatory process caused by the effect of negative friction. The source of energy is an external quasi-steady flow, e.g. supergranulation motions near the loop footpoints or external flows in the corona. Methods. We demonstrate that the interaction of a quasi-steady flow with a loop can be described by a Rayleigh oscillator equation that is a nonlinear ordinary differential equation, with the damping and resonant terms determined empirically. Results. Low-amplitude self-oscillatory solutions to the Rayleigh oscillator equation are harmonic signals of constant amplitude, which is consistent with the observed properties of undamped kink oscillations. The period of self-oscillations is determined by the frequency of the kink mode. The damping by dissipation and mode conversion is compensated by the continuous energy deposition at the frequency of the natural oscillation. Conclusions. We propose that undamped kink oscillations of coronal loops may be caused by the interaction of the loops with quasi-steady flows, and hence are self-oscillations, in analogy with producing a tune by a stick moving across a violin string