Swaying threads of a solar filament

Abstract

From recent high-resolution observations obtained with the Swedish 1 m Solar Telescope in La Palma, we detect swaying motions of individual filament threads in the plane of the sky. The oscillatory characters of these motions are comparable with oscillatory Doppler signals obtained from corresponding filament threads. Simultaneous recordings of motions in the line of sight and in the plane of the sky give information about the orientation of the oscillatory plane. These oscillations are interpreted in the context of the magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) theory. Kink MHD waves supported by the thread body are proposed as an explanation of the observed thread oscillations. On the basis of this interpretation and by means of seismological arguments, we give an estimation of the thread Alfvén speed and magnetic field strength by means of seismological arguments. © 2009. The American Astronomical Society. All rights reserved.