Vertical Kink Oscillations Research Articles

Three-dimensional MHD modeling of vertical kink oscillations in an active region plasma curtain

Observations on 2011 August 9 of an X6.9-class flare in active region (AR) 11263 by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) on-board the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), were followed by a rare detection of vertical kink oscillations in a large-scale coronal active region plasma curtain in EUV coronal lines. The damped oscillations with periods in the range 8.8-14.9 min were detected and analyzed recently. Our aim is to study the generation and propagation of the MHD oscillations in the plasma curtain taking into account realistic 3D magnetic and density structure of the curtain. We also aim at testing and improving coronal seismology for more accurate determination of the magnetic field than with standard method. We use the observed morphological and dynamical conditions, as well as plasma properties of the coronal curtain based on Differential Emission Measure (DEM) analysis to initialize a 3D MHD model of its vertical and transverse oscillations by implementing the impulsively excited velocity pulse mimicking the flare generated nonlinear fast magnetosonic propagating disturbance interacting with the curtain obliquely. The model is simplified by utilizing initial dipole magnetic field, isothermal energy equation, and gravitationally stratified density guided by observational parameters. Using the 3D MHD model, we are able to reproduce the details of the vertical oscillations and study the process of their excitation by nonlinear fast magnetosonic pulse, propagation, and damping, finding agreement with the observations. We estimate the accuracy of simplified slab-based coronal seismology by comparing the determined magnetic field strength to actual values from the 3D MHD modeling results and demonstrate the importance of taking into account more realistic magnetic geometry and density for improving coronal seismology.

New analytical and numerical models of a solar coronal loop

Aims. We construct a new analytical model of a solar coronal loop that is embedded in a gravitationally stratified and magnetically confined atmosphere. On the basis of this analytical model, we devise a numerical model of solar coronal loops. We adopt it to perform the numerical simulations of its vertical kink oscillations excited by an external driver. Methods. Our model of the solar atmosphere is constructed by adopting a realistic temperature distribution and specifying the curved magnetic field lines that constitute a coronal loop. This loop is described by 2D, ideal magnetohydro- dynamic equations that are numerically solved by the FLASH code. Results. The vertical kink oscillations are excited by a periodic driver in the vertical component of velocity, acting at the top of the photosphere. For this forced driver with its amplitude 3 km/s, the excited oscillations exhibit about 1.2 km/s amplitude in their velocity and the loop apex oscillates with its amplitude in displacement of about 100 km. Conclusions. The newly devised analytical model of the coronal loops is utilized for the numerical simulations of the vertical kink oscillations, which match well with the recent observations of decay-less kink oscillations excited in solar loops. The model will have further implications on the study of waves and plasma dynamics in coronal loops, revealing physics of energy and mass transport mechanisms in the localized solar atmosphere.

X6.9-CLASS FLARE-INDUCED VERTICAL KINK OSCILLATIONS IN A LARGE-SCALE PLASMA CURTAIN AS OBSERVED BY THESOLAR DYNAMICS OBSERVATORY/ATMOSPHERIC IMAGING ASSEMBLY

We present rare observational evidence of vertical kink oscillations in a laminar and diffused large-scale plasma curtain as observed by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory. The X6.9-class flare in active region 11263 on 2011 August 9 induces a global large-scale disturbance that propagates in a narrow lane above the plasma curtain and creates a low density region that appears as a dimming in the observational image data. This large-scale propagating disturbance acts as a non-periodic driver that interacts asymmetrically and obliquely with the top of the plasma curtain and triggers the observed oscillations. In the deeper layers of the curtain, we find evidence of vertical kink oscillations with two periods (795 s and 530 s). On the magnetic surface of the curtain where the density is inhomogeneous due to coronal dimming, non-decaying vertical oscillations are also observed (period ≈ 763-896 s). We infer that the global large-scale disturbance triggers vertical kink oscillations in the deeper layers as well as on the surface of the large-scale plasma curtain. The properties of the excited waves strongly depend on the local plasma and magnetic field conditions.

THE ROLE OF ACTIVE REGION LOOP GEOMETRY. II. SYMMETRY BREAKING IN THREE-DIMENSIONAL ACTIVE REGION: WHY ARE VERTICAL KINK OSCILLATIONS OBSERVED SO RARELY?

We present numerical results of simulations of kink oscillations of coronal loops in an idealized active region (AR) that is initialized as a potential dipole magnetic configuration with gravitationally stratified density. We consider loops, with density higher than the surrounding plasma, embedded into the dipolar AR. We study the excitation of kink oscillations of such loops by velocity pulses at different positions, of a given duration and amplitude. The position of the pulse varies in the parametric studies. For a central (symmetric) loop within the AR, we find that the amplitude of vertical kink oscillations is significantly amplified in comparison to horizontal kink oscillations for exciters located centrally (symmetrically) below the loop. For pulses initiated further from such a symmetric loop a combination of vertical and horizontal oscillations is excited. The scenario changes significantly when we study an inclined loop (non-symmetric within a dipole field). In this case, we do not see vertical kink oscillations of any significant amplitude being excited, while horizontal ones can be easily detected. These results indicate that the reason why vertical kink oscillations are observed so rarely is that their excitation requires a set of conditions to occur simultaneously: the exciting pulse must be located roughly below the loop apex and the loop itself must be located symmetrically within the group of loops. The new findings of the present study show the importance of not only the position of the pulse, but mainly of the location of the loop within the set of field lines having the same magnetic connectivity. We find that the slow propagating wave is excited in all the studied loops and its excitation does not depend either on the geometry of the loop or the pulse. We discuss TRACE observations of coronal loop oscillations in view of our findings and find that our results can be used for identifying the polarization of the kink mode based on the location of the loop within the set of field lines of the same connectivity and the position of the flare.

THE ROLE OF ACTIVE REGION LOOP GEOMETRY. I. HOW CAN IT AFFECT CORONAL SEISMOLOGY?

We present numerical results of coronal loop oscillation excitation using a three-dimensional (3D) MHD model of an idealized active region (AR) field. The AR is initialized as a potential dipole magnetic configuration with gravitationally stratified density and contains a loop with a higher density than its surroundings. We study different ways of excitation of vertical kink oscillations of this loop by velocity: as an initial condition, and as an impulsive excitation with a pulse of a given position, duration, and amplitude. We vary the geometry of the loop in the 3D MHD model and find that it affects both the period of oscillations and the synthetic observations (difference images) that we get from oscillations. Due to the overestimated effective length of the loop in the case of loops which have maximum separation between their legs above the footpoints (>50% of observed loops), the magnetic field obtained from coronal seismology can also be overestimated. The 3D MHD model shows how the accuracy of magnetic field strength determined from coronal seismology can be improved. We study the damping mechanism of the oscillations and find that vertical kink waves in 3D stratified geometry are damped mainly due to wave leakage in the horizontal direction.

Excitation of vertical kink waves in a solar coronal arcade loop by a periodic driver

Aims. We study an oscillatory driver as a possible excitation mechanism of vertical kink loop oscillations in the ideal MHD regime.Methods. We consider a solar coronal magnetic arcade with a dense photospheric layer. The two-dimensional numerical model that we implement includes the effects of nonlinearity and line curvature on the excitation and attenuation of fast magnetosonic kink waves. We investigate the effects of a driven sinusoidal pressure pulse and compare it with the impulsive excitation by a pressure pulse that impacts the overlying loop.Results. Our numerical simulations reveal wave signatures that are reminiscent of vertical loop oscillations seen in TRACE observational data.Conclusions. We conclude that attenuation of vertical kink oscillations can be reduced to the value observed by adopting an oscillatory instead of an impulsive excitation. An oscillatory driver also naturally explains why only a small subset of all loops is excited to oscillate transversally in an active region.

3-D numerical simulations of coronal loops oscillations

Abstract. We present numerical results of 3-D MHD model of a dipole active region field containing a loop with a higher density than its surroundings. We study different ways of excitation of vertical kink oscillations by velocity perturbation: as an initial condition, and as an impulsive excitation with a pulse of a given position, duration, and amplitude. These properties are varied in the parametric studies. We find that the amplitude of vertical kink oscillations is significantly amplified in comparison to horizontal kink oscillations for exciters located centrally (symmetrically) below the loop, but not if the exciter is located a significant distance to the side of the loop. This explains why the pure vertical kink mode is so rarely observed in comparison to the horizontally polarized one. We discuss the role of curved magnetic field lines and the pulse overlapping at one of the loop's footpoints in 3-D active regions (AR's) on the excitation and the damping of slow standing waves. We find that footpoint excitation becomes more efficient in 3-D curved loops than in 2-D curved arcades and that slow waves can be excited within an interval of time that is comparable to the observed one wave-period due to the combined effect of the pulse inside and outside the loop. Additionally, we study the effect of AR topology on the excitation and trapping of loop oscillations. We find that a perturbation acting directly on a single loop excites oscillations, but results in an increased leakage compared to excitation of oscillations in an AR field by an external source.

Energy leakage as an attenuation mechanism for vertical kink oscillations in solar coronal wave guides

Aims.We study wave leakage as a possible attenuation mechanism of coronal loop oscillations in the ideal MHD regime.

Vertical oscillations of a coronal loop observed by TRACE

We report on a loop oscillation event observed by TRACE in the 195 A bandpass at the solar limb. The difference images reveal the first evidence for vertical kink oscillations of the loop, i.e., alternately expanding and shrinking motions, in contrast to horizontal transverse loop oscillations reported before, which exhibit swaying motions. Based on the 3D geometry of the oscillating loop derived from the observation by fitting with a circular or elliptical loop model, we simulate these two kinds of global kink modes and find that only the vertical oscillations produce a signature in the difference images in agreement with the observations. We also find that the oscillating loop is associated with intensity variations. Based on the measured displacement amplitude, the simulation predicts an intensity variation of about 13% due to density changes produced by the change of the loop length. The observed intensity changes have the same sign but are considerably larger than the predictions although the error bars are also large. This suggests that these oscillations are compressible.