Helioseismic analysis of the solar flare-induced sunquake of 2005 January 15. II: A magneto-seismic study

TL;DR

This study investigates how magnetic field structures influence the development and localization of seismic waves caused by a solar flare, providing insights into the magnetic conditions that facilitate sunquakes.

Contribution

It presents the first magneto-seismic analysis of a flare-induced sunquake, linking magnetic topology with seismic activity in the solar photosphere.

Findings

Magnetic fields can act as barriers to seismic wave propagation.

Certain magnetic configurations promote the development of strong seismic sources.

The study enhances understanding of magnetic influence on flare-induced seismicity.

Abstract

On 2005 January 15, the active region AR10720 produced an X1.2 solar flare that induced high levels of seismicity into the photospheric layers. The seismic source was detected using helioseismic holography and analysed in detail in Paper I. Egression power maps at 6 mHz with a 2 mHz bandwidth revealed a compact acoustic source strongly correlated with the footpoints of the coronal loop that hosted the flare. We present a magneto-seismic study of this active region in order to understand, for the first time, the magnetic topological structure of a coronal field that hosts an acoustically active solar flare. The accompanying analysis attempts to answer questions such as: Can the magnetic field act as a barrier and prevent seismic waves from spreading away from the focus of the sunquake? And, what is the most efficient magnetic structure that would facilitate the development of a strong seismic source in the photosphere?