CAREER: Exploring New Regimes of Physics to Constrain the Properties of Heating in the Solar Corona

William Marsh Rice University, Houston TX

Investigators

Abstract

The main research objective of this five-year CAREER project is to investigate the physical mechanisms responsible for the heating of the solar atmosphere. The project will explore challenging new regimes of physics, including: (1) non-equilibrium ionization due to the short timescales of plasma evolution during the heating events on the Sun; and, (2) substantial heat flux limiting and de-localization where the global plasma structure must be considered in the transport of energy through the solar atmosphere. The proposed research program has two primary goals: (1) learn about the physics of the almost entirely unexplored regime of very high temperature, low density plasma in the solar corona; and, (2) use what is learned to find strong constraints on the properties of coronal heating. The program of research presents the opportunity to study a new regime of thermal energy transport, in which the global structure of the plasma must be considered, and to determine how it affects the overall energy balance of the Sun's upper atmosphere. This will be of value to other areas of space plasma physics. By combining what is learned from the hot emission with what is already known from the warm emission, strong constraints will be placed on the properties of coronal heating. The broader impacts of this CAREER project target students at all levels as well as educators. The physics' topics on which this research is based will be incorporated into the solar astrophysics graduate course taught by the PI, from which a graduate student will be recruited specifically to work on this project. The program also provides opportunities for undergraduate participation in research. A major part of this project is a summer school program on key physical science concepts, taught within the context of the Sun, for rising juniors and seniors in the Houston Independent School District, which educates predominantly minority and socioeconomically disadvantaged students. The mode of teaching will be through peer instruction and mentoring in small groups. A high school teacher will assist the PI, and will develop lesson plans and other curriculum material based on the outcomes of the summer program for dissemination to other teachers, publication in educational journals, presentation at major conferences, and contribution to the Connexions website. The research and EPO agenda of this CAREER project supports the Strategic Goals of the AGS Division in discovery, learning, diversity, and interdisciplinary research.