skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Coronal oscillations

Journal Article · · Astrophys. J.; (United States)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1086/161956· OSTI ID:6590433

Magnetoacoustic oscillations in a solar coronal inhomogenity (e.g., coronal loop) are shown to take place with two distinct periodicities, one on an acoustic (long) time scale. and the other on an Alfvenic (short) time scale and the other on an Alfenic (short) time scale. The short period modes-fast magnetoacoustic waves-are trapped in regions of low Alfen speed: typically, this corresponds to high density loops or dense open field regions. Their periods may be on the order of seconds. We discuss the form of the fast oscillations for both standing modes in a closed loop and impulsively generated disturbances in a loop or open field structure. Impulsively generated waves in density enhancement exhibit both periodic and quasi-periodic phases. Symmetric oscillations (sausage modes) are analogous to Pekeris waves in oceanography; asymmetrical (kink) disturbances are skin to Love waves in seismology. It is suggested that fast magnetoacoustic waves may explain the observed pulsations in Type IV radio events, the sausage waves providing the desired 1 s periodicites.

Research Organization:
Department of Applied Mathematics, University of St. Andrews, Scotland
OSTI ID:
6590433
Journal Information:
Astrophys. J.; (United States), Vol. 279:2
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English