Dust particles in a plasma can be higWy charged, and can carry a proportion of the negative charge of the plasma. Even if this proportion is quite small, as in interstellar dusty clouds, it can have a large effect on hydromagnetic Alfvén waves propagating at frequencies well below the ion–cyclotron frequency. In particular, the right-hand circularly polarised mode experiences a cutoff due to the presence of the dust. We generalise previous work on Alfvén waves in dusty interstellar plasmas by considering the general dispersion relation for waves propagating at an arbitrary angle with respect to the magnetic field. Wave energy propagating at oblique angles to the magnetic field in an increasing density gradient can be very efficiently damped by the Alfvén resonance absorption process in a dusty plasma, and we consider this damping mechanism for waves in interstellar clouds.

We analyze a prominence-like cool plasma structure as observed by Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA) onboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO). We perform the Differential Emission Measure (DEM) analysis using various filters of AIA, and also deduce the temperature and density structure in and around the observed flux-tube. In addition to deducing plasma parameters, we also find an evidence of multiple harmonics of fast magnetoacoustic kink waves in the observed prominence-like magnetic structure. Making use of estimated plasma parameters and observed wave parameters, under the baseline of MHD seismology, we deduce magnetic field in the flux-tube. The wave period ratio P1/P2 = 2.18 is also observed in the flux-tube, which carries the signature of magnetic field divergence where we estimate the tube expansion factor as 1.27. We discuss constraints in the estimation of plasma and magnetic field properties in such a structure in the current observational perspective, which may shed new light on the localized plasma dynamics and heating scenario in the solar atmosphere.

Quiescent solar prominences are cool and dense plasma clouds located inside the hot and less dense solar corona. They are highly dynamic structures displaying flows, instabilities, oscillatory motions, etc. The oscillations have been mostly interpreted in terms of magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves, which has allowed to perform prominence seismology as a tool to determine prominence physical parameters difficult to measure. Here, several prominence seismology applications to large and small amplitude oscillations are reviewed.

Coronal seismology is now a well developed area of solar physics, even though many questions remain for resolution. Here we take stock of the progress made since the first direct imaging of oscillating loops was achieved through TRACE spacecraft observations in 1999.

The detection of rapidly damped transverse oscillations in coronal loops by Aschwanden et al. (1999) and Nakariakov et al. (1999) gave a strong impetus to the study of MHD waves and their damping. The common interpretation of the observations of these oscillations is based on kink modes. This paper reviews how the observed period and damping time can be reproduced by MHD wave theory when non-uniform equilibrium models are considered that have a transversal variation of the local Alfven velocity. The key point here is that resonant absorption cannot be avoided and occurs as natural damping mechanism for kink waves in non-uniform equilibrium models. The present paper starts with work by Hollweg & Yang (1988) and discusses subsequent developments in theory and their applications to seismology of coronal loops. It addresses the consistent use of observations of periods and damping times as seismological tools within the framework of resonant absorption. It shows that within the framework of resonant absorption infinitely many equilibrium models can reproduce the observed values of periods and damping times.

The propagation of surface and body linear MHD modes in a twisted magnetic flux tube embedded in a magnetically twisted plasma environment is considered. The dispersion relation for surface and body modes is derived assuming constant external twisted field. Analytic approximate solutions to the dispersion equation are found for the long and short wave length cases.

It was found, that in case the twisted component of the magnetic field in the environment of the flux tube is constant the index of Bessel functions $\nu$ in the corresponding dispersion relation is not integer. In the particular case of a homogen magnetic twist the total pressure is found to be constant across the boundary of the flux tube.