Observations of Solar Oscillations in He I 10830 Å

In continuation of a series of studies devoted to the dynamics of the solar photosphere and chromosphere we have attempted to further extend the range of heights in the atmosphere towards the transition region by including observations of the He I 10830 line. We have recorded simultaneous time series of He I 10830 and Mg I 8807 spectra in the quiet solar atmosphere using the echelle spectrograph at the German Vacuum Tower Telescope in Izana, Tenerife. The velocity signal derived from the Doppler shifts of He 10830 clearly reveals oscillatory motions. The intensity of He 10830, on the other hand, is hardly affected by the oscillations. In the cell interior the 3-min oscillations prevail. Longer periods are found ain the cell boundaries of the chromospheric network where He absorption is enhanced. The V-V phase difference spectrum between the oscillations of He 10830 and those of Mg 8807 confirms previous observations of a non-propagating component that dominates the acoustic wave spectrum in the chromosphere.