New Applicant Grant: Exploring the connection between solar flare energetic electrons observed at the Sun and in the heliosphere

新申请人资助：探索在太阳和日光层中观察到的太阳耀斑高能电子之间的联系

基本信息

批准号：
ST/V000764/1
负责人：
Natasha Jeffrey
金额：
$ 47.46万
依托单位：
Northumbria University
依托单位国家：
英国
项目类别：
Research Grant
财政年份：
2021
资助国家：
英国
起止时间：
2021 至无数据
项目状态：
未结题

来源：
https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FV000764%2F1
关键词：
New Applicant Grant Exploring connection

项目摘要

The Solar Physics Group at Northumbria University has a long-term research programme to understand the physics of our closest star, the Sun, and other solar-like stars. The Sun displays a number of fascinating and dynamic phenomena such as powerful solar flares and giant, planet-sized concentrations of magnetic fields (sunspots). It also provides a unique window that permits us to examine in detail how stars behave. The Sun is made of a plasma (ionised gas) threaded by a strong magnetic field. Such magnetised plasmas are common throughout the Universe (e.g. active galaxy nuclei, nebula, interstellar medium), hence our research also advances our understanding across multiple research communities. Furthermore, we are also keen to determine how the Sun influences the near-Earth environment. The Sun is the powerhouse of our solar system and its daily variability can have profound consequences for Earth. Space Weather is the name given to the impact of events (e.g. solar flares, coronal mass ejections) from the Sun on our technologically- advanced society. This impact is both beautiful (e.g. Northern lights) and potentially extremely detrimental (e.g. damaging satellites, increasing radiation that is harmful to aircrew and astronauts). Thus, in order to understand and address the risks associated with Space Weather, we need to understand its origins and drivers. Our work aims to address one of STFC's Science Challenges, namely "How do stars and planetary systems develop and how do they support the existence of life?", as well as key questions in the STFC Roadmap for Solar System Research, e.g. "What are the structures, dynamics and energetics of the Sun?" and "What are the fundamental processes at work in the Solar System?". The project focuses on solar flares, a key component of space weather, and a laboratory for studying multiple aspects of high energy astrophysics. Solar flares produce radiation at all wavelengths, and unlike other astrophysical objects, there are abundant space and ground-based observatories viewing the Sun from radio to gamma-rays, using spatially resolved, high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy alongside Sun-as-a-star observations. Radiative diagnostics: X-ray bremsstrahlung, UV continuum, atomic line emission, and radio help us diagnose the properties of energetic particles at the Sun, and the extreme flaring plasma conditions. The Sun is the only star that permits in-situ detection of flare-accelerated electrons and ions (multi-messenger astronomy) at Earth (1 AU), and now within the Sun's corona (0.04 AU) with the successful launch of the Parker Solar Probe our "mission to touch the Sun", and the much anticipated ESA/NASA mission Solar Orbiter. The project is interested in understanding the energetics of solar flares and how high energy particles observed at the Sun and in the heliosphere are created in the Sun's atmosphere. This will be achieved by combining a multi-wavelength and multi-messenger observational study and by creating observationally-driven models in different plasma environments at the Sun and in the heliosphere.

诺森比亚大学的太阳物理小组有一个长期研究计划，旨在了解距离我们最近的恒星、太阳和其他类太阳恒星的物理学。太阳呈现出许多迷人的动态现象，例如强大的太阳耀斑和行星大小的巨大磁场集中区（太阳黑子）。它还提供了一个独特的窗口，使我们能够详细检查恒星的行为方式。太阳由强磁场穿过的等离子体（电离气体）构成。这种磁化等离子体在整个宇宙中很常见（例如活跃的星系核、星云、星际介质），因此我们的研究也增进了我们对多个研究团体的理解。此外，我们还热衷于确定太阳如何影响近地环境。太阳是太阳系的动力源，它的日常变化会对地球产生深远的影响。太空天气是指太阳事件（例如太阳耀斑、日冕物质抛射）对我们技术先进的社会的影响。这种影响既美丽（例如北极光），又可能极其有害（例如损坏卫星、增加对机组人员和宇航员有害的辐射）。因此，为了了解和解决与空间天气相关的风险，我们需要了解其起源和驱动因素。我们的工作旨在解决 STFC 的科学挑战之一，即“恒星和行星系统如何发展以及它们如何支持生命的存在？”，以及 STFC 太阳系研究路线图中的关键问题，例如。 “太阳的结构、动力学和能量是怎样的？”和“太阳系中起作用的基本过程是什么？”。该项目的重点是太阳耀斑（空间天气的一个关键组成部分），以及一个用于研究高能天体物理学多个方面的实验室。太阳耀斑产生所有波长的辐射，与其他天体物理物体不同，有丰富的空间和地面观测站从无线电到伽马射线观察太阳，使用空间分辨、高分辨率成像和光谱学以及太阳作为一个星观测。辐射诊断：X 射线轫致辐射、紫外线连续谱、原子线发射和无线电帮助我们诊断太阳高能粒子的特性以及极端耀斑的等离子体条件。太阳是唯一一颗能够在地球（1 个天文单位）原位探测耀斑加速电子和离子（多信使天文学）的恒星，随着帕克太阳能探测器的成功发射，太阳现在也可在太阳日冕（0.04 个天文单位）内进行探测探索我们的“接触太阳的任务”，以及备受期待的欧空局/美国宇航局太阳轨道飞行器任务。该项目的目的是了解太阳耀斑的能量学，以及在太阳和日光层中观察到的高能粒子是如何在太阳大气中产生的。这将通过结合多波长和多信使观测研究以及在太阳和日光层的不同等离子体环境中创建观测驱动模型来实现。