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

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$\alpha$ 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 $\sim$215 km s$^{-1}$ in its dynamical phase. The evidence of the blob with almost similar shape and velocity concurrent in H$\alpha$ 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$\times10^{6}$ ergs cm$^{-2}$ s$^{-1}$ to re-balance the coronal losses above active regions.Comment: Solar Physics; 22 Pages; 8 Figure

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

Magnetohydrodynamic Waves in an Asymmetric Magnetic Slab

Analytical models of solar atmospheric magnetic structures have been crucial for our understanding of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) wave behaviour and in the development of the field of solar magneto-seismology. Here, an analytical approach is used to derive the dispersion relation for MHD waves in a magnetic slab of homogeneous plasma enclosed on its two sides by non-magnetic, semi-infinite plasma with different densities and temperatures. This generalises the classic magnetic slab model, which is symmetric about the slab. The dispersion relation, unlike that governing a symmetric slab, cannot be decoupled into the well-known sausage and kink modes, i.e. the modes have mixed properties. The eigenmodes of an asymmetric magnetic slab are better labelled as quasi-sausage and quasi-kink modes. Given that the solar atmosphere is highly inhomogeneous, this has implications for MHD mode identification in a range of solar structures. A parametric analysis of how the mode properties (in particular the phase speed, eigenfrequencies, and amplitudes) vary in terms of the introduced asymmetry is conducted. In particular, avoided crossings occur between quasi-sausage and quasi-kink surface modes, allowing modes to adopt different properties for different parameters in the external region