Dynamics of the solar corona in the era of data intensive observations (DynaSun)
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Warwick
Department Name: Physics
Abstract
More than 90% of the visible Universe is in the form of a plasma - the fourth state of matter. The study of physical properties of a plasma forms one of the most far ranging and challenging research areas in physics today. From cosmological objects to controlled fusion, this complex, but fundamental state of matter is proving to be of ever-greater significance in understanding the dynamics of the Universe and in harnessing the material world for the greatest technological result and the improvement of our society.
The strategic aims of plasma research relate to the global challenges faced by humankind. One is the ecologically friendly and practically endless source of energy, the controlled fusion reaction that is believed to be achievable in magnetic confinement reactors, tokamaks. The working body in tokamaks reactors is a plasma. Another is the understanding of the key ingredient of the Earth's climate change, the solar effect on the Earth's climate. Also, the plasma research plays the central role in Space Weather, the study of the solar-terrestrial relations through the physical processes operating in the heliosphere. This branch of science is becoming increasingly important in the context of space exploration, e.g., Moon and Mars expeditions, and the stability and safety of space-based telecommunication and tele-navigation systems, energy supply lines and pipelines. Last but not least is the study of plasma physics of fundamental astrophysical processes. The solar corona is a showcase ("Rosetta stone") for plasma behaviour in other astrophysical objects. This makes the plasma research one of the strategic directions of Physical Sciences.
Despite of the abundance of the plasma state of matter in the Universe, the physical conditions on the Earth do not allow us to reach the plasma easily. The intrinsic difficulties of the laboratory plasma research are the cost and the technological problems of plasma creation and confinement. This motivates our interest in the space plasma systems, such as the atmosphere of the Sun, where the plasma is naturally created and is open to direct high-resolution study. Solar plasma systems are used as natural plasma laboratory that provide us with a vast variety of plasma configurations and physical conditions. The study of the solar corona, the upper, fully ionised and very hot part of the solar atmosphere, is of particular importance not only because of its unique physical state (high temperature, high density, strong magnetic field), which makes it close to the conditions in controlled fusion reactors, but also because of its direct relevance to solar-terrestrial relations, such as Space Weather and the Earth's climate. Coronal research itself faces several key challenges, including understanding of mechanisms for coronal plasma heating, and energetics and physical scenarios of energy releases such as flares and coronal mass ejections, and the physical conditions leading to them. In the proposed research we address outstanding questions of modern solar physics connected with dynamic phenomena in the solar atmosphere summarised below, and described in dedicated work packages (WP). The key common theme linking the proposed research are magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves which are a ubiquitous feature of solar atmospheric dynamics,
The strategic aims of plasma research relate to the global challenges faced by humankind. One is the ecologically friendly and practically endless source of energy, the controlled fusion reaction that is believed to be achievable in magnetic confinement reactors, tokamaks. The working body in tokamaks reactors is a plasma. Another is the understanding of the key ingredient of the Earth's climate change, the solar effect on the Earth's climate. Also, the plasma research plays the central role in Space Weather, the study of the solar-terrestrial relations through the physical processes operating in the heliosphere. This branch of science is becoming increasingly important in the context of space exploration, e.g., Moon and Mars expeditions, and the stability and safety of space-based telecommunication and tele-navigation systems, energy supply lines and pipelines. Last but not least is the study of plasma physics of fundamental astrophysical processes. The solar corona is a showcase ("Rosetta stone") for plasma behaviour in other astrophysical objects. This makes the plasma research one of the strategic directions of Physical Sciences.
Despite of the abundance of the plasma state of matter in the Universe, the physical conditions on the Earth do not allow us to reach the plasma easily. The intrinsic difficulties of the laboratory plasma research are the cost and the technological problems of plasma creation and confinement. This motivates our interest in the space plasma systems, such as the atmosphere of the Sun, where the plasma is naturally created and is open to direct high-resolution study. Solar plasma systems are used as natural plasma laboratory that provide us with a vast variety of plasma configurations and physical conditions. The study of the solar corona, the upper, fully ionised and very hot part of the solar atmosphere, is of particular importance not only because of its unique physical state (high temperature, high density, strong magnetic field), which makes it close to the conditions in controlled fusion reactors, but also because of its direct relevance to solar-terrestrial relations, such as Space Weather and the Earth's climate. Coronal research itself faces several key challenges, including understanding of mechanisms for coronal plasma heating, and energetics and physical scenarios of energy releases such as flares and coronal mass ejections, and the physical conditions leading to them. In the proposed research we address outstanding questions of modern solar physics connected with dynamic phenomena in the solar atmosphere summarised below, and described in dedicated work packages (WP). The key common theme linking the proposed research are magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) waves which are a ubiquitous feature of solar atmospheric dynamics,
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Valery Nakariakov (Principal Investigator) |