How Are Dynamos Born And How Do They Die? Characterizing Stellar Magnetism During Spin-Down

Matilsky, Loren, Boulder CO

Investigators

Abstract

Loren Matilsky is awarded an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Fellowship to carry out a program of research and education at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Matilsky will perform supercomputer simulations of magnetized, rotating shells to characterize global dynamos in stars. Results from this project will allow astronomers to better understand stellar dynamos, a critical step in modeling “space weather” – violent magnetic eruptions such as stellar flares and coronal mass ejections – that influences planetary habitability. Matilsky will also establish a peer mentoring program that will help students and postdoctoral researchers gain the skills to navigate research and teaching. Dynamos in stars other than the Sun are poorly understood and have yet to be adequately explored. Matilsky will address this knowledge gap by implementing a suite of simulations for two main stellar geometries – a Sun-like star with a tachocline and a fully convective M-dwarf with no tachocline – spanning the full range of rotation rates achieved during spin-down. This work will advance our understanding of the observed activity-rotation relation in low mass stars and determine whether the nature of the dynamo changes fundamentally during a star’s life. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.