Oscillations in active region fan loops: Observations from EIS/{\it Hinode} and AIA/SDO

TL;DR

This study combines spectroscopic and imaging data from Hinode and SDO to analyze oscillations in active region fan loops, identifying short and long period waves and their potential physical mechanisms.

Contribution

It provides the first combined spectroscopic and imaging analysis of oscillations in fan loops, distinguishing between MHD modes and slow magneto-acoustic waves.

Findings

Short ($<$3 min) and long (~9 min) oscillation periods identified.

Longer periods observed in AIA channels, indicating propagating disturbances.

Shorter periods suggest multiple MHD modes; longer periods indicate slow magneto-acoustic waves.

Abstract

Active region fan loops in AR 11076 were studied, in search of oscillations, using high cadence spectroscopic observations from EIS on board Hinode combined with imaging sequences from the AIA on board SDO. Spectra from EIS were analyzed in two spectral windows, \FeXII 195.12 \AA and \FeXIII 202.04 \AA along with the images from AIA in 171 \AA and 193 \AA channels. We find short ($<$3 min) and long ($\approx$9 min) periods at two different locations. Shorter periods show oscillations in all the three line parameters and the longer ones only in intensity and Doppler shift but not in line width. Line profiles at both these locations do not show any visible blue-shifted component and can be fitted well with a single Gaussian function along with a polynomial background. Results using co-spatial and co-temporal data from AIA/SDO do not show any significant peak corresponding to shorter periods, but longer periods are clearly observed in both 171 \AA and 193 \AA channels. Space-time analysis in these fan loops using images from AIA/SDO show alternate slanted ridges of positive slope, indicative of outward propagating disturbances. The apparent propagation speeds were estimated to be 83.5 $\pm$ 1.8 \kms and 100.5 $\pm$ 4.2 \kms, respectively, in the 171 \AA and 193 \AA channels. Observed short period oscillations are suggested to be caused by the simultaneous presence of more than one MHD mode whereas the long periods are suggested as signatures of slow magneto-acoustic waves. In case of shorter periods, the amplitude of oscillation is found to be higher in EIS lines with relatively higher temperature of formation. Longer periods, when observed from AIA, show a decrease of amplitude in hotter AIA channels which might indicate damping due to thermal conduction owing to their acoustic nature.