CORONAL SEISMOLOGY USING EIT WAVES: ESTIMATION OF THE CORONAL MAGNETIC FIELD STRENGTH IN THE QUIET SUN

Coronal EIT waves have been observed for many years. The nature of EIT waves is still contentious, however, there is strong evidence that some of them might be fast magnetosonic waves, or at least have a fast magnetosonic wave component. The fast magnetosonic wave speed is formed from two components; the Alfven speed (magnetic) and the sound speed (thermal). By making measurements of the wave speed, coronal density and temperature it is possible to calculate the quiet-Sun coronal magnetic field strength through coronal seismology. In this paper, we investigate an EIT wave observed on 2009 February 13 by the SECCHI/EUVI instruments on board the STEREO satellites. The wave epicenter was observed at disk center in the STEREO B (Behind) satellite. At this time, the STEREO satellites were separated by approximately 90 deg., and as a consequence the STEREO A (Ahead) satellite observed the wave on the solar limb. These observations allowed us to make accurate speed measurements of the wave. The background coronal density was derived through Hinode/Extreme-ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer observations of the quiet Sun and the temperature was estimated through the narrow temperature response in the EUVI bandpasses. The density, temperature, and speed measurements allowed us to estimate the quiet-Sun coronal magnetic field strength to be approximately 0.7 ± 0.7 G.