77 research outputs found
Coronal loop oscillations and diagnostics with Hinode/EIS
Context.Standing slow (acoustic) waves commonly observed in hot coronal loops offer a unique opportunity to understand the properties of the coronal plasma. The lack of evidence for similar oscillations in cooler loops is still a puzzle.
Aims.The high cadence EIS instrument on board recently launched Hinode has the capability to detect wave motion in EUV lines both in the imaging and spectroscopy modes. The paper aims to establish the distinct characteristics of standing and propagating acoustic waves and to predict their footprints in EIS data.
Methods.A 1D hydrodynamic loop model is used and the consequences of various types of heating pulses are examined. In each case, the resulting hydrodynamic evolution of the loop is converted into observables using a selection of available EIS spectral lines and windows.
Results.Propagating/standing acoustic waves are a natural response of the loop plasma to impulsive heating. Synthetic EIS observations of such waves are presented both in the imaging and spectroscopy modes. The waves are best seen and identified in spectroscopy mode observations. It is shown that the intensity oscillations, unlike the Doppler shift oscillations, continuously suffer phase shifts due to heating and cooling of the plasma. It is therefore important to beware of this effect when interpreting the nature of the observed waves
The effect of density stratification on the transverse oscillations of two parallel coronal loops
Transverse oscillations of coronal magnetic loops are routinely observed
during the space missions. Since the first observation these oscillations
were interpreted in terms of kink oscillations of magnetic tubes. Sometimes
collective oscillations of two or more coronal loops are observed. This
makes the development of theory of collective oscillations of a few parallel
magnetic tubes desirable. Another reason for the development of this
theory is that there are evidences that at least some coronal loops are
not monolithic but consist of many thin magnetic threads. In this paper
the linear theory of kink oscillations of two parallel magnetic tubes
with the density varying along the tubes is developed. The asymptotic
method is used to derive the system of equations governing the collective
kink oscillations of two tubes. This system is used to study the effect
of density variation on the eigenfrequencies of collective oscillations.
The implication of the obtained results on coronal seismology is
discussed
Nonlinear effects in resonant layers in solar and space plasmas
The present paper reviews recent advances in the theory of nonlinear driven
magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves in slow and Alfven resonant layers. Simple
estimations show that in the vicinity of resonant positions the amplitude of
variables can grow over the threshold where linear descriptions are valid.
Using the method of matched asymptotic expansions, governing equations of
dynamics inside the dissipative layer and jump conditions across the
dissipative layers are derived. These relations are essential when studying the
efficiency of resonant absorption. Nonlinearity in dissipative layers can
generate new effects, such as mean flows, which can have serious implications
on the stability and efficiency of the resonance
Multiwavelength Observations of Supersonic Plasma Blob Triggered by Reconnection Generated Velocity Pulse in AR10808
Using multi-wavelength observations of Solar and Heliospheric Observatory
(SoHO)/Michelson Doppler Imager (MDI), Transition Region and Coronal Explorer
(TRACE) 171 \AA, and H from Culgoora Solar Observatory at Narrabri,
Australia, we present a unique observational signature of a propagating
supersonic plasma blob before an M6.2 class solar flare in AR10808 on 9th
September 2005. The blob was observed between 05:27 UT to 05:32 UT with almost
a constant shape for the first 2-3 minutes, and thereafter it quickly vanished
in the corona. The observed lower bound speed of the blob is estimated as
215 km s in its dynamical phase. The evidence of the blob with
almost similar shape and velocity concurrent in H and TRACE 171 \AA\
supports its formation by multi-temperature plasma. The energy release by a
recurrent 3-D reconnection process via the separator dome below the magnetic
null point, between the emerging flux and pre-existing field lines in the lower
solar atmosphere, is found to be the driver of a radial velocity pulse outwards
that accelerates this plasma blob in the solar atmosphere. In support of
identification of the possible driver of the observed eruption, we solve the
two-dimensional ideal magnetohydrodynamic equations numerically to simulate the
observed supersonic plasma blob. The numerical modelling closely match the
observed velocity, evolution of multi-temperature plasma, and quick vanishing
of the blob found in the observations. Under typical coronal conditions, such
blobs may also carry an energy flux of 7.0 ergs cm
s to re-balance the coronal losses above active regions.Comment: Solar Physics; 22 Pages; 8 Figure
Review article: MHD wave propagation near coronal null points of magnetic fields
We present a comprehensive review of MHD wave behaviour in the neighbourhood
of coronal null points: locations where the magnetic field, and hence the local
Alfven speed, is zero. The behaviour of all three MHD wave modes, i.e. the
Alfven wave and the fast and slow magnetoacoustic waves, has been investigated
in the neighbourhood of 2D, 2.5D and (to a certain extent) 3D magnetic null
points, for a variety of assumptions, configurations and geometries. In
general, it is found that the fast magnetoacoustic wave behaviour is dictated
by the Alfven-speed profile. In a plasma, the fast wave is focused
towards the null point by a refraction effect and all the wave energy, and thus
current density, accumulates close to the null point. Thus, null points will be
locations for preferential heating by fast waves. Independently, the Alfven
wave is found to propagate along magnetic fieldlines and is confined to the
fieldlines it is generated on. As the wave approaches the null point, it
spreads out due to the diverging fieldlines. Eventually, the Alfven wave
accumulates along the separatrices (in 2D) or along the spine or fan-plane (in
3D). Hence, Alfven wave energy will be preferentially dissipated at these
locations. It is clear that the magnetic field plays a fundamental role in the
propagation and properties of MHD waves in the neighbourhood of coronal null
points. This topic is a fundamental plasma process and results so far have also
lead to critical insights into reconnection, mode-coupling, quasi-periodic
pulsations and phase-mixing.Comment: 34 pages, 5 figures, invited review in Space Science Reviews => Note
this is a 2011 paper, not a 2010 pape
Effects of Steady Flow on Magnetoacoustic-Gravity Surface Waves: I. The Weak Field Case
Magnetoacoustic gravity (MAG) waves have been studied for some time. In this article, we investigate the effect that a shear flow at a tangential discontinuity embedded in a gravitationally stratified and magnetised plasma has on MAG surface waves. The dispersion relation found is algebraically analogous to the relation of the non-flow cases obtained by Miles and Roberts (Solar Phys.141, 205, 1992), except for the introduction of a Doppler-shifted frequency for the eigenvalue. This feature, however, introduces rather interesting physics, including the asymmetric presence of forward- and backward-propagating surface waves. We find that increasing the equilibrium flow speed leads to a shift in the permitted regions of propagation for surface waves. For most wave number combinations this leads to the fast mode being completely removed, as well as more limited phase speed regimes for slow-mode propagation. We also find that upon increasing the flow, the phase speeds of the backward propagating waves are increased. Eventually, at high enough flow speeds, the wave’s direction of propagation is reversed and is in the positive direction. However, the phase speed of the forward-propagating wave remains mainly the same. For strong enough flows we find that the Kelvin–Helmholtz instability can also occur when the forward- and backward-propagating modes couple
The effect of twisted magnetic field on the resonant absorption of MHD waves in coronal loops
The standing quasi modes in a cylindrical incompressible flux tube with
magnetic twist that undergoes a radial density structuring is considered in
ideal magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). The radial structuring is assumed to be a
linearly varying density profile. Using the relevant connection formulae, the
dispersion relation for the MHD waves is derived and solved numerically to
obtain both the frequencies and damping rates of the fundamental and
first-overtone modes of both the kink (m=1) and fluting (m=2,3) waves. It was
found that a magnetic twist will increase the frequencies, damping rates and
the ratio of the oscillation frequency to the damping rate of these modes. The
period ratio P_1/P_2 of the fundamental and its first-overtone surface waves
for kink (m=1) and fluting (m=2,3) modes is lower than 2 (the value for an
untwisted loop) in the presence of twisted magnetic field. For the kink modes,
particularly, the magnetic twists B_{\phi}/B_z=0.0065 and 0.0255 can achieve
deviations from 2 of the same order of magnitude as in the observations.
Furthermore, for the fundamental kink body waves, the frequency bandwidth
increases with increasing the magnetic twist.Comment: 18 pages, 9 figure
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