# Inferring physical parameters in solar prominence threads

## TL;DR

This paper uses Bayesian seismology techniques to infer physical parameters of solar prominence threads and compare damping models, finding resonant absorption in the Alfvén continuum most plausible for observed oscillations.

## Contribution

It introduces Bayesian methods for parameter inference and model comparison in prominence seismology, providing constrained estimates of physical parameters and evaluating damping mechanisms.

## Key findings

- Bayesian analysis constrains magnetic field strength and thread length.
- Resonant absorption in the Alfvén continuum is the most plausible damping mechanism.
- Period ratios are better explained by long or short thread approximations depending on the value.

## Abstract

High resolution observations have permitted to resolve the solar prominences/filaments as sets of threads/fibrils. However, the values of the physical parameters of these threads and their structuring remain poorly constrained. We use prominence seismology techniques to analyse transverse oscillations in threads through the comparison between magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) models and observations. We apply Bayesian methods to obtain two different types of information. We first infer the marginal posterior distribution of physical parameters, such as the magnetic field strength or the length of the thread, when a totally filled tube, a partially filled tube, and three damping models (resonant absorption in the Alfv\'en continuum, resonant absorption in the slow continuum, and Cowling's diffusion) are considered as certain. Then, we compare the relative plausibility between alternative MHD models by computing the Bayes factors. Well constrained probability density distributions can be obtained for the magnetic field strength, the length of the thread, the density contrast, and parameters associated to damping models. When comparing the damping models of resonant absorption in the Alfv\'en continuum, resonant absorption in the slow continuum and Cowling's diffusion due to partial ionisation of prominence plasma, the resonant absorption in the Alfv\'en continuum is the most plausible mechanism in explaining the existing observations. Relations between periods of fundamental and first overtone kink modes with values around 1 are better explained by expressions of the period ratio in the long thread approximation, while the rest of the values are more probable in the short thread limit for the period ratio. Our results show that Bayesian analysis offers valuable methods for performing parameter inference and model comparison in the context of prominence seismology.