Helioseismology at Birmingham and Queen Mary

The Sun is a touchstone for stellar astrophysics. It is an anchor for studies of the internal physics, structure and dynamics of other stars. Understanding what drives the observed changes to its activity and emissions is not only of crucial importance to solar-terrestrial relations, but also has wider relevance to studies of the influence that other stars have on their local environments, with the obvious implications for habitability of detected exoplanets. Prominent among recent solar research are studies of solar activity, which has its origins in processes taking place in the solar interior. The most recent activity Cycle 24 has shown levels of activity that are unprecedentedly low in the era of modern telescope and satellite observations. As we move into the new Cycle 25, helioseismology has an important role to play in understanding not only the internal drivers for these changes, but also how long lasting they might be.

We will track the seismic behaviour of the Sun through the rise of the next solar cycle, using the Birmingham Solar-Oscillations Network (BiSON). We will mine these data and data from other ground-based and space-borne helioseismic instruments, to isolate and extract signatures of structural and dynamic changes in the solar interior. We will compare the seismic behaviour of the Sun in four successive solar minima; and study the rotation of the deep solar interior to better understand the dynamic evolution of the Sun.

We will also utilize resolved-Sun data from satellites and the ground-based GONG network to monitor the development of near-surface flow patterns as we head into Cycle 25, which provide important information on how the Sun's activity is changing.

Outreach:

We will reach the audience of the general public and schools by organised outreach activity, publicity, talks, exhibitions, articles in popular publications, radio and (when possible) television appearances.

Through our Physics meets Art (PHYART@UOB) project (https://www.phyartuob.co.uk/) we are working with a cohort of artists and artistic companies as a novel way to communicate physics and to reach wider audiences, for example audiences who might usually only be interested in art, in new ways and settings. The artists employ sound, dance, opera, photography, and technology. This joint work communicates science and reaches audiences through performances, exhibitions, and the broadcast and print media.

We shall continue to develop strong links with the media, which have led to several recent appearances in broadcast and print, both nationally and internationally.

We engage regularly in outreach activities (including talks) for schools and astronomical societies (we are on lists of speakers maintained by the Royal Astronomical Society and the Institute of Physics). These activities will be coordinated with Schools and outreach liaison specialists.


Knowledge exchange:

Our strategy is to remain alert to KE opportunities, using the well-developed knowledge exchange infrastructures at UoB and QMUL. We shall be alert to opportunities for interdisciplinary research opportunities.

We shall provide skilled, well-trained students and PDRAs (with excellent transferable skills) for the academic community and non-academic professional sectors. This includes training of young scientists as part of major international collaborations led by the applicants (i.e., as formally recognised structures within collaborations); and UK-wide training of PhD students (e.g., involvement in lecturing and organising graduate summer schools, including STFC Schools).

There is also knowledge transfer to the astronomy community, i.e., the solar/stellar and exoplanet communities and the wider astronomy community (where our work has relevance in galactic, extra-galactic and cosmology studies). This will be achieved by publications in refereed journals (including high-impact, non-specialist journals like Science, Nature and Publications of the National Academy of Sciences); and seminars and talks to a wide professional audience, including the general astronomical community and the solar and stellar physics communities.