Science, Vol.272, No.5261, 521-523, 1996
Trapped Coronal Magnetogravity Modes
Theoretical analyses suggest a physical scenario for the trapping of coronal magneto-gravity wave modes above the solar transition region. The shortest oscillation period of coronal magnetogravity modes should be longer than about 1.5 hours. These long-period modes may be responsible for the unexpected low-frequency (1 to 140 microhertz) discrete modes recently discovered in interplanetary charged particle fluxes and magnetic field fluctuations. If the detected modes are caused by these magnetogravity modes rather than by gravity-mode oscillations in the solar interior, then the solar corona and the transition region may be probed from an entirely new perspective by helioseismological techniques. These coronal magnetogravity modes could reveal clues to the healing and dynamics of the solar corona.