Dual Trigger of Transverse Oscillations in a Prominence by EUV Fast and Slow Coronal Waves: SDO/AIA and STEREO/EUVI Observations

We analyze flare-associated transverse oscillations in a quiescent solar prominence on 2010 September 8-9. Both the flaring active region and the prominence were located near the west limb, with a favorable configuration and viewing angle. The full-disk extreme ultraviolet (EUV) images of the Sun obtained with high spatial and temporal resolution by the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly on board the Solar Dynamics Observatory show flare-associated lateral oscillations of the prominence sheet. The STEREO-A spacecraft, 81fdg5 ahead of the Sun-Earth line, provides an on-disk view of the flare-associated coronal disturbances. We derive the temporal profile of the lateral displacement of the prominence sheet by using the image cross-correlation technique. The displacement curve was de-trended and the residual oscillatory pattern was derived. We fit these oscillations with a damped cosine function with a variable period and find that the period is increasing. The initial oscillation period (P 0) is ~28.2 minutes and the damping time (τ D ) ~ 44 minutes. We confirm the presence of fast and slow EUV wave components. Using STEREO-A observations, we derive a propagation speed of ~250 km s–1 for the slow EUV wave by applying the time-slice technique to the running difference images. We propose that the prominence oscillations are excited by the fast EUV wave while the increase in oscillation period of the prominence is an apparent effect, related to a phase change due to the slow EUV wave acting as a secondary trigger. We discuss implications of the dual trigger effect for coronal prominence seismology and scaling law studies of damping mechanisms