arXiv subjects

Iñigo Arregui

Publications and source records attributed to Iñigo Arregui.

10 recordsLinked to original sources

arXiv2026

A comparison of pendulum models for large-amplitude longitudinal prominence oscillations

Large-amplitude prominence oscillations offer diagnostic information relevant to understanding the magnetic and plasma structure of solar prominences. Accurate prominence seismology requires the use of reliable models. The so-called pendulum model for large-amplitude longitudinal prominence oscillations has demonstrated robustness against observations and numerical simulations. Recent improvements have extended the model to situations with non-uniform gravity, thus leading to corrections that have implications for the inference of the magnetic field strength. In this study we quantify how the different model predictions given by the original and extended pendulum models impact the inference of the minimum magnetic field strength derived from the observed periods of large-amplitude longitudinal prominence oscillations. The analysis we conducted follows a Bayesian approach to solve the inference problem and assess the absolute and relative plausibilities of the two considered models in explaining the observed data, with their uncertainty. We find that the Bayesian solution to the inference problem provides well-constrained posteriors for the minimum magnetic field strength. However, the solutions from each adopted model differ, with differences increasing with the oscillation period. A model comparison analysis results in the extended model being more plausible in the full range of observed periods. However, the magnitude of the Bayes factor is not large enough to determine whether there is positive evidence supporting any of the models. We suggest computing model-averaged posteriors as the most reasonable solution to the inference problem.

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arXiv2026

Signatures of Damping Nonlinear Oscillations by KHI-induced Turbulence in Synthetic Observations

Large-amplitude decaying kink oscillations of coronal loops are strongly influenced by nonlinear processes, such as Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHI) and turbulence, though comprehensive theory and observational confirmation remain limited. Building on the recently developed theory on nonlinear damping by KHI-induced turbulence in impulsively driven transverse loop oscillations, we investigate its observational signatures using 3D magnetohydrodynamic simulations and forward-modelled EUV images. The simulated oscillations exhibit time-varying frequency shifts and damping rates, which are broadly consistent with nonlinear turbulence-damping theory. Additionally, they exhibit excitation of higher-order modes, slightly increased periods relative to the linear kink period, and reduced displacement amplitudes. These features are generally preserved in synthetic observations, though resolving higher-order modes requires higher spatial resolution than currently available. For loops embedded in a hotter background, hotter channels (e.g., 193 Angstroms) are more sensitive to boundary dynamics, thus their oscillations decay faster with smaller displacements and larger phase shifts than those in cooler channels (e.g., 171 Angstroms). Comparisons of simulated and synthetic oscillations show close agreement at the early stage. At later times, synthetic oscillations exhibit smaller displacements and larger phase shifts, due to turbulence-induced asymmetry in the loop cross-section. Bayesian fitting shows that the initial oscillation amplitude and kink period are robustly constrained, whereas parameters controlling the damping profile are degenerate, indicating that additional observables would aid reliable seismological inference. These results provide a quantitative basis for identifying nonlinear damping and detecting KHI-driven turbulence in transverse loop oscillations.

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arXiv2026

Inferring physical parameters of solar filaments from simultaneous longitudinal and transverse oscillations

Context. Different modes of oscillations are frequently observed in solar prominences/filaments, and prominence seismology helps estimate important physical parameters like the magnetic field strength. Although the simultaneous detection of longitudinal and transverse oscillations in the same filament is not common, such rare observations provide a unique opportunity to constrain the physical parameters of interest. Aims. In this study, we aim to estimate the physical parameters of prominences undergoing simultaneous longitudinal and transverse oscillations. Methods. We apply Bayesian seismology techniques to observations of longitudinal and transverse filament oscillations to infer the magnetic field strength, the length, and the number of twists in the flux tube holding the prominence plasma. We first use the observations of longitudinal oscillations and the pendulum model to infer the posterior probability density for the magnetic field strength. The obtained marginal posterior of the magnetic field, combined with the observations of the transverse oscillations, is then used to estimate the probable values of the length of the magnetic flux tube that supports the filament material using Bayesian inference. This estimated length is used to compute the number of twists in the flux tube. Results. For the prominences under study, we find that the length of the flux tubes supporting the quiescent prominences can be very large (from 100 to 1000 Mm) and the number of twists in the flux tube are not more than three. Conclusions. Our results demonstrate that Bayesian analysis offers valuable methods to perform parameter inference in the context of prominence seismology.

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arXiv2025

MHD waves with mixed properties / Alfvén waves with pressure variations: a review

Non-uniformity plays an important role for MHD waves. For a uniform plasma of infinite extent the MHD waves can be subdivided in two classes with distinct properties. The first class contains the Alfvén waves. The Alfvén waves are incompressible and propagate parallel vorticity. They do not have a parallel component of displacement, they do not cause variations in pressure and are driven by magnetic tension only. The second class contains the magneto-sonic waves. They are compressible and have a parallel component of displacement. They do not propagate parallel vorticity and are driven by pressure and magnetic tension. In non-uniform plasmas the situation can be very different. The clear division between Alfvén waves and magneto-sonic waves is no longer present. In a given part of the equilibrium an MHD wave can strongly resemble a magneto-sonic wave with little or no resemblance to Alfvén waves; while in another part of the equilibrium the MHD wave is practically an Alfvén wave, which has the amazing property of being accompanied by variations in pressure.

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arXiv2025

Identification of Nonlinear Damping of Transverse Loop Oscillations by KHI-induced Turbulence

Kink oscillations in coronal loops have been extensively studied for their potential contributions to coronal heating and their role in plasma diagnostics through coronal seismology. A key focus is the strong damping of large-amplitude kink oscillations, which observational evidence suggests is nonlinear. However, directly identifying the nonlinearity is a challenge. This work presents an analytic formula describing nonlinear standing kink oscillations dissipated by turbulence, characterised by a time-varying damping rate and period drift. We investigate how the damping behaviour depends on the driving amplitude and loop properties, showing that the initial damping time $τ$ is inversely proportional to the velocity disturbance over the loop radius, $V_i/R$. Using MCMC fitting with Bayesian inference, the nonlinear function better fits an observed decaying kink oscillation than traditional linear models, including exponential damping, suggesting its nonlinear nature. By applying a Bayesian model comparison, we establish regimes in which nonlinear and linear resonant absorption mechanisms dominate based on the relationship between the damping rate $τ/P$ and $V_i/R$. Additionally, analysis of two specific events reveals that while one favours the nonlinear model, the other is better explained by the linear model. Our results suggest that this analytical approximation of nonlinear damping due to turbulence provides a valid and reliable description of large-amplitude decaying kink oscillations in coronal loops.

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arXiv2024

Coronal heating

Coronal heating refers to the physical processes that shape and structure the corona of the Sun and are responsible for its multi-million Kelvin temperatures. These processes are revealed in a number of different observational manifestations and have been studied on theoretical grounds in great detail over the last eight decades. The aim of this Chapter is to give an account of some of those manifestations and to discuss relevant physics that we believe is responsible for them. Coronal heating is closely connected to other magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) processes occurring in the solar plasma and described in this book such as waves, shocks, instabilities, and magnetic reconnection.

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arXiv2024

Nonlinear wave damping by Kelvin-Helmholtz instability induced turbulence

Magnetohydrodynamic kink waves naturally form as a consequence of perturbations to a structured medium, for example transverse oscillations of coronal loops. Linear theory has provided many insights in the evolution of linear oscillations, and results from these models are often applied to infer information about the solar corona from observed wave periods and damping times. However, simulations show that nonlinear kink waves can host the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability (KHi) which subsequently creates turbulence in the loop, dynamics which are beyond linear models. In this paper we investigate the evolution of KHi-induced turbulence on the surface of a flux tube where a non-linear fundamental kink-mode has been excited. We control our numerical experiment so that we induce the KHi without exciting resonant absorption. We find two stages in the KHi turbulence dynamics. In the first stage, we show that the classic model of a KHi turbulent layer growing $\propto t$is applicable. We adapt this model to make accurate predictions for damping of the oscillation and turbulent heating as a consequence of the KHi dynamics. In the second stage, the now dominant turbulent motions are undergoing decay. We find that the classic model of energy decay proportional to $t^{-2}$ approximately holds and provides an accurate prediction of the heating in this phase. Our results show that we can develop simple models for the turbulent evolution of a non-linear kink wave, but the damping profiles produced are distinct from those of linear theory that are commonly used to confront theory and observations.

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arXiv2024

Global Coronal Magnetic Field Estimation Using Bayesian Inference

Estimating the magnetic field strength in the solar corona is crucial for understanding different physical processes happening over diverse spatio-temporal scales. However, the high temperatures and low density of the solar corona make this task challenging. The coronal magnetic field is too weak to produce a measurable splitting of the spectral lines using the Zeeman effect, and high temperature causes spectral lines to become weak and broad, making it difficult to detect the small Zeeman splitting. Coronal magneto-seismology, which combines the theoretical and observed properties of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves, can be used to infer the magnetic field strength of oscillating structures in the solar corona, which are otherwise difficult to estimate. In this work, we use the Doppler velocity and density data obtained from the Coronal Multichannel Polarimeter (CoMP) on 2016 October 14 to obtain the global map of the coronal magnetic field using Bayesian inference. Two priors are used for plasma density, viz Gaussian and uniform distributions. Bayesian inference provides us with the probability distribution for the magnetic field strength at each location from 1.05 to 1.35 $R_\odot$. A comparison between the magnetic field obtained using simple inversion and Bayesian inference is also drawn. We find that the values obtained using simple inversion do not always match the maximum posterior estimates obtained using Bayesian inference. We find that the inferred values follow a power-law function for the radial variation of the coronal magnetic field, with the power-law indices for simple and Bayesian inversion being similar.

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arXiv2020

Coronal heating by MHD waves

The heating of the solar chromosphere and corona to the observed high temperatures, imply the presence of ongoing heating that balances the strong radiative and thermal conduction losses expected in the solar atmosphere. It has been theorized for decades that the required heating mechanisms of the chromospheric and coronal parts of the active regions, quiet-Sun, and coronal holes are associated with the solar magnetic fields. However, the exact physical process that transport and dissipate the magnetic energy which ultimately leads to the solar plasma heating are not yet fully understood. The current understanding of coronal heating relies on two main mechanism: reconnection and MHD waves that may have various degrees of importance in different coronal regions. In this review we focus on recent advances in our understanding of MHD wave heating mechanisms. First, we focus on giving an overview of observational results, where we show that different wave modes have been discovered in the corona in the last decade, many of which are associated with a significant energy flux, either generated in situ or pumped from the lower solar atmosphere. Afterwards, we summarise the recent findings of numerical modelling of waves, motivated by the observational results. Despite the advances, only 3D MHD models with Alfvén wave heating in an unstructured corona can explain the observed coronal temperatures compatible with the quiet Sun, while 3D MHD wave heating models including cross-field density structuring are not yet able to account for the heating of coronal loops in active regions to their observed temperature.

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arXiv2018

On Kelvin-Helmholtz and parametric instabilities driven by coronal waves

The Kelvin-Helmholtz instability has been proposed as a mechanism to extract energy from magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) kink waves in flux tubes, and to drive dissipation of this wave energy through turbulence. It is therefore a potentially important process in heating the solar corona. However, it is unclear how the instability is influenced by the oscillatory shear flow associated with an MHD wave. We investigate the linear stability of a discontinuous oscillatory shear flow in the presence of a horizontal magnetic field within a Cartesian framework that captures the essential features of MHD oscillations in flux tubes. We derive a Mathieu equation for the Lagrangian displacement of the interface and analyse its properties, identifying two different instabilities: a Kelvin-Helmholtz instability and a parametric instability involving resonance between the oscillatory shear flow and two surface Alfvén waves. The latter occurs when the system is Kelvin-Helmholtz stable, thus favouring modes that vary along the flux tube, and as a consequence provides an important and additional mechanism to extract energy. When applied to flows with the characteristic properties of kink waves in the solar corona, both instabilities can grow, with the parametric instability capable of generating smaller scale disturbances along the magnetic field than possible via the Kelvin-Helmholtz instability. The characteristic time-scale for these instabilities is $\sim 100$ s, for wavelengths of $200$ km. The parametric instability is more likely to occur for smaller density contrasts and larger velocity shears, making its development more likely on coronal loops than on prominence threads.

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