Collaborative Research: Eclipse Observations of Heavy Ions, Neutrals and Dust Grains in the Solar Corona

合作研究：日冕中重离子、中性粒子和尘埃颗粒的日食观测

• 批准号: 0802499
• 负责人: Munir Nayfeh
• 金额: $ 2.99万
• 依托单位: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2008
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2008-05-01 至 2013-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0802499&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Collaborative; Research; Eclipse; Observations; Heavy

The Principal Investigator (PI) and her collaborators will take multi-spectral observations during several upcoming solar eclipses in order to map the ion abundance, electron temperature, and direction of the coronal magnetic field in the inner corona. The team plans to study the distribution of neutral hydrogen and helium in the solar corona, as well as to investigate the properties of dust grains in the near-Sun environment. Data will be obtained in the spectral lines of ionized iron, sulfur, and silicon, as well as in neutral helium and hydrogen. Coupled with laboratory experiments, these observations will enable detection of fluorescence signatures of interplanetary dust grains present in the solar corona.This project will exploit the complementary diagnostic techniques of resonant scattering and polarization to follow the evolution of ions and neutrals in the solar corona. Heavy ions and traces of lighter neutral atoms (such as hydrogen and helium) in the inner corona serve as local probes of the physical processes that heat the solar atmosphere to over one million degrees and accelerate the solar wind. While ions are tied to coronal magnetic fields, neutrals reflect the fate of cooler material from solar as well as interstellar origin. As ions and neutrals expand away from the Sun, they interact and evolve under the influence of the local magnetic field, the local electron temperature, and through collisions. This research will enhance our understanding of these phenomena.In previous eclipse expeditions, members of the research team have been successful in raising public awareness of scientific research in general and of solar physics in particular. Their prior efforts have proved to be engaging for the imagination and intellect of younger students specifically. The research team represents a fruitful collaboration involving small and large universities led by a senior female scientist. The eclipse expeditions will involve graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and a K-12 teacher, with an emphasis on education.

首席研究员 (PI) 和她的合作者将在即将到来的几次日食期间进行多光谱观测，以便绘制内日冕中的离子丰度、电子温度和日冕磁场方向。该团队计划研究日冕中中性氢和氦的分布，以及研究近太阳环境中尘埃颗粒的特性。 数据将从电离铁、硫和硅以及中性氦和氢的谱线中获得。与实验室实验相结合，这些观测结果将能够检测日冕中存在的行星际尘埃颗粒的荧光特征。该项目将利用共振散射和偏振的互补诊断技术来跟踪日冕中离子和中性粒子的演化。内日冕中的重离子和痕量较轻的中性原子（例如氢和氦）充当将太阳大气加热到超过一百万度并加速太阳风的物理过程的局部探测器。虽然离子与日冕磁场有关，但中性粒子反映了来自太阳和星际起源的较冷物质的命运。当离子和中性粒子远离太阳时，它们在局部磁场、局部电子温度和碰撞的影响下相互作用并演化。这项研究将增强我们对这些现象的理解。在之前的日食探险中，研究小组的成员成功地提高了公众对科学研究的认识，特别是对太阳物理学的认识。事实证明，他们之前的努力特别吸引了年轻学生的想象力和智力。该研究团队代表了由一位资深女科学家领导的小型和大型大学之间富有成效的合作。日食探险将包括研究生、博士后研究员和一名 K-12 教师，重点是教育。