Coronal Seismology

This concise and systematic account of the current state of this new branch of astrophysics presents the theoretical foundations of plasma astrophysics, magneto-hydrodynamics and coronal magnetic structures, taking into account the full range of available observation techniques - from radio to gamma. The book discusses stellar magnetic loops during flare energy releases, MHD waves and oscillations, plasma instabilities and heating and charged particle acceleration. Current trends and developments in MHD seismology of solar and stellar coronal plasma systems are also covered, while recent progress is presented in the observational study of quasiperiodic pulsations in solar and stellar flares with radio, optical, X and gamma rays. In addition, the authors investigate plasma instabilities and the origin of coherent radio emission from stellar loops, paying special attention to their fine structure. From the contents: Introduction and overview Coronal magnetic loop as an equivalent electric circuit Resonators for MHD oscillations in stellar coronae Propagating MHD waves in coronal plasma waveguides Prominence seismology The coronal loop as a magnetic mirror trap Flaring events in stellar coronal loops Stellar coronal seismology as a diagnostic tool for flare plasma Heating mechanisms in stellar coronae Loops and QPOs in accretion disks and neutron stars Conclusion