Present and Future Observing Trends in Atmospheric Magneto-seismology

Abstract

With modern imaging and spectral instruments observing in the visible, EUV, X-ray and radio wavelengths, the detection of oscillations in the solar outer atmosphere has become a routine event. These oscillations are considered to be the signatures of a wave phenomenon and are generally interpreted in terms of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves. With multi-wavelength observations from ground and space-based instruments, it has been possible to detect waves in a number of different wavelengths simultaneously and, consequently, to study their propagation properties. Observed MHD waves propagating from the lower solar atmosphere into the higher regions of the magnetized corona have the potential to provide an excellent insight into the physical processes at work at the coupling point between these different regions of the Sun. High-resolution wave observations combined with forward MHD modelling can give an unprecedented insight into the connectivity of the magnetized solar atmosphere, which further provides us with a realistic chance to reconstruct the structure of the magnetic field in the solar atmosphere. This type of solar exploration has been termed atmospheric magneto-seismology. In this review we will summarise some new trends in the observational study of waves and oscillations, discussing their origin, and their propagation through the atmosphere.

In particular, we will focus on waves and oscillations in open ({\it e.g.,} solar plumes) and closed ({\it e.g.,} loops and prominences) magnetic structures, where there have been a number of observational highlights in the last few years. Furthermore, observations of waves in filament fibrils allied with a better characterization of their propagating and damping properties, the detection of prominence oscillations in UV lines, and the renewed interest in large-amplitude, quickly attenuated, prominence oscillations, caused by flare or explosive phenomena, will be addressed.