Preparing for the Solar Orbiter Mission: Properties of Solar Wind Charged Particle Populations
Lead Research Organisation:
UNIVERSITY COLLEGE LONDON
Department Name: Mullard Space Science Laboratory
Abstract
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Organisations
Publications
Macneil A
(2019)
Active Region Modulation of Coronal Hole Solar Wind
in The Astrophysical Journal
Macneil A
(2017)
Tests for coronal electron temperature signatures in suprathermal electron populations at 1 AU
in Annales Geophysicae
Studentship Projects
| Project Reference | Relationship | Related To | Start | End | Student Name |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST/N504488/1 | 30/09/2015 | 30/03/2021 | |||
| 1578989 | Studentship | ST/N504488/1 | 30/09/2015 | 29/09/2018 | Allan Macneil |
| Description | In my PhD I have progressed Solar Orbiter-related science in advance of the mission launch scheduled for 2020. -The temperature of solar wind source region temperature at the Sun does not strongly correlate with the temperature of high-energy electrons which are measured in the solar wind near the Earth. This is in contrast to earlier work, and suggests either heavy processing of these electrons as they travel away from the Sun, or an alternative model of solar wind formation. -Improvements were made to a widely-applied method of mapping solar wind spacecraft measurements to a probable source location on the Sun. This procedure will be crucial for future missions which hope to explain solar wind origins such as Solar Orbiter. -The most-likely source regions of solar wind which is intermediate in its properties between typically fast and slow wind types was identified as the boundaries of so-called 'coronal holes'. -A unique configuration of solar wind sources was exploited to reveal the properties of solar wind originating from the boundary between a coronal hole and an active region. It was concluded that the process of 'magnetic reconnection' (the rapid reconfiguration of magnetic fields which may take place in plasma environments) played an important role in the production of this type of solar wind, in comparison with others. |
| Exploitation Route | All works in this PhD are suitable preparation for future studies with Solar Orbiter. The instrumental capabilities of this mission, combined with its novel orbit, will allow the extension of all results obtained during my PhD research upon its launch. This research on the origins of the solar wind is ultimately vital to the study of 'space weather' - the influence of the Sun on human life and infrastructure. Answering the overarching question of how the Sun produces the solar wind is thus a major factor in predicting space weather events. Space weather events in the past have had significant consequences for terrestrial and satellite-based communication systems, and also pose a great danger for humans in space. As such, this work contributes to a body of knowledge which is vital for the future of many sectors. |
| Sectors | Aerospace Defence and Marine Digital/Communication/Information Technologies (including Software) Environment Other |