A New Method for Detecting Solar Atmospheric Gravity Waves

TL;DR

This paper introduces a novel 3D cross-correlation method to analyze gravity wave propagation in the solar atmosphere, enhancing understanding of their characteristics and impact on solar dynamics.

Contribution

The paper presents a new approach using 3D cross-correlation of vertical velocities to study solar gravity waves, combining observational data and simulations.

Findings

Preliminary detection of gravity wave propagation in the solar atmosphere.

Method successfully applied to observational and simulated data.

Outlines future improvements for gravity wave analysis.

Abstract

Internal gravity waves have been observed in the Earth's atmosphere and oceans, on Mars and Jupiter, and in the Sun's atmosphere. Despite ample evidence for the existence of propagating gravity waves in the Sun's atmosphere, we still do not have a full understanding of their characteristics and overall role for the dynamics and energetics of the solar atmosphere. Here we present a new approach to study the propagation of gravity waves in the solar atmosphere. It is based on calculating the three-dimensional cross-correlation function between the vertical velocities measured at different heights. We apply this new method to a time series of co-spatial and co-temporal Doppler images obtained by SOHO/MDI and Hinode/SOT as well as to simulations of upward propagating gravity wave packets. We show some preliminary results and outline future developments.