MHD waves in two-dimensional prominences embedded in coronal arcades

J. Terradas, R. Soler, A. J. Díaz, R. Oliver, J. L. Ballester

Published 2013-09-19Version 1

Solar prominence models used so far in the analysis of MHD waves in such structures are quite elementary. In this work, we calculate numerically magnetohydrostatic models in two-dimensional configurations under the presence of gravity. Our interest is in models that connect the magnetic field to the photosphere and include an overlying arcade. The method used here is based on a relaxation process and requires solving the time-dependent nonlinear ideal MHD equations. Once a prominence model is obtained, we investigate the properties of MHD waves superimposed on the structure. We concentrate on motions purely two-dimensional neglecting propagation in the ignorable direction. We demonstrate how by using different numerical tools we can determine the period of oscillation of stable waves. We find that vertical oscillations, linked to fast MHD waves, are always stable and have periods in the 4-10 min range. Longitudinal oscillations, related to slow magnetoacoustic-gravity waves, have longer periods in the range of 28-40 min. These longitudinal oscillations are strongly influenced by the gravity force and become unstable for short magnetic arcades.