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Coronal seismology is a technique of studying the plasma of the Sun's corona with the use of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves and oscillations. Magnetohydrodynamics studies the dynamics of electrically conducting fluids - in this case the fluid is the coronal plasma. Observed properties of the waves (e.g. period, wavelength, amplitude, temporal and spatial signatures (what is the shape of the wave perturbation?), characteristic scenarios of the wave evolution (is the wave damped?), combined with a theoretical modelling of the wave phenomena (dispersion relations, evolutionary equations, etc.), may reflect physical parameters of the corona which are not accessible ''in situ,'' such as the coronal magnetic field strength and Alfvén velocity 〔 〕 and coronal dissipative coefficients. Originally, the method of MHD coronal seismology was suggested by Y. Uchida in 1970 for propagating waves, and B. Roberts et al. in 1984 for standing waves, but was not practically applied until the late 90s due to a lack of necessary observational resolution. Philosophically, coronal seismology is similar to the Earth's seismology, helioseismology, and MHD spectroscopy of laboratory plasma devices. In all these approaches, waves of various kind are used to probe a medium. The theoretical foundation of coronal seismology is the dispersion relation of MHD modes of a plasma cylinder: a plasma structure which is nonuniform in the transverse direction and extended along the magnetic field. This model works well for the description of a number of plasma structures observed in the solar corona: e.g. coronal loops, prominence fibrils, plumes, various filaments. Such a structure acts as a waveguide of MHD waves. This discussion is adapted from Valery M. Nakariakov and Erwin Verwichte, ("Coronal Waves and Oscillations" ), Living Rev. Solar Phys. 2, (2005), (cited on November 26, 2009). ==Types of magnetohydrodynamic waves== There are several distinct kinds of MHD modes which have quite different dispersive, polarisation, and propagation properties: * Kink (or transverse) modes, which are oblique fast magnetoacoustic (also known as magnetosonic waves) guided by the plasma structure; the mode causes the displacement of the axis of the plasma structure. These modes are weakly compressible, but could nevertheless be observed with imaging instruments as periodic standing or propagating displacements of coronal structures, e.g. coronal loops. The frequency of transverse or "kink" modes is given by the following expression: : For kink modes the parameter the azimuthal wave number in a cylindrical model of a loop, is equal to 1, meaning that the cylinder is swaying with fixed ends. * Sausage modes, which are also oblique fast magnetoacoustic waves guided by the plasma structure; the mode causes expansions and contractions of the plasma structure, but does not displace its axis. These modes are compressible and cause significant variation of the absolute value of the magnetic field in the oscillating structure. The frequency of sausage modes is given by the following expression: : For sausage modes the parameter is equal to 0; this would be interpreted as a "breathing" in and out, again with fixed endpoints. * Longitudinal (or slow, or acoustic) modes, which are slow magnetoacoustic waves propagating mainly along the magnetic field in the plasma structure; these mode are essentially compressible. The magnetic field perturbation in these modes is negligible. The frequency of slow modes is given by the following expression: : Where we define as the sound speed and as the Alfvén velocity. * Torsional (Alfvén or twist) modes are incompressible transverse perturbations of the magnetic field along certain individual magnetic surfaces. In contrast with kink modes, torsional modes cannot be observed with imaging instruments, as they do not cause the displacement of either the structure axis or its boundary. : 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「coronal seismology」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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