STFC Consolidated Grant for the Solar and Space Physics Group at Northumbria University

STFC 为诺森比亚大学太阳和空间物理小组提供综合拨款

• 批准号: ST/X001008/1
• 负责人: James McLaughlin
• 金额: $ 164.35万
• 依托单位: Northumbria University
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Research Grant
• 财政年份: 2023
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2023 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=ST%2FX001008%2F1
• 关键词: STFC; Consolidated; Grant; Solar; Space

The Solar and Space Physics research group at Northumbria University has a long-term research programme to understand the physics of the Sun, all aspects of the solar-terrestrial connection, and 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 the 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?". This proposal focuses on different aspects of these current challenges and questions, with a natural synergy across the projects that contributes towards our long-term goal of a complete and detailed understanding of the Sun and the solar-terrestrial connection. Here, we are interested in discovering answers to problems such as: What are the details underpinning powerful solar flares that give off intense radiation (X-rays, gamma rays) and accelerate particles to relativistic speeds? What are the fundamental processes that heat the outer envelope of the Sun's atmosphere to millions of degrees, and accelerate streams of charged particles away from the Sun (the solar wind) at speeds of a million miles per hour? How is the solar wind is formed into a supersonic and superalfvenic flow, and how does that flow evolves as it propagates through interplanetary space? Can we understand the dynamics of Earth's Van Allen Radiation Belts (one of the highest priority questions for the international space physics community)? Can we identify the physical reasons for crucial wave activity in Earth's magnetosphere? To address these fundamental, yet unanswered, questions, our research makes use of advanced mathematical techniques, cutting-edge computer simulations and Data Intensive Science techniques. We utilise the highest-quality data available from state-of-the-art solar and solar-terrestrial instruments (e.g. ESA's Solar Orbiter, JAXA's Arase, and NASA's Magnetospheric Multiscale Mission, Parker Solar Probe, Solar Dynamic Observatory and Van Allen Probe) incorporating information from across the electromagnetic spectrum (e.g. visible, EUV, X-ray) and analysing this with methods drawn from advanced statistics and machine learning.

诺森比亚大学的太阳和空间物理研究小组有一个长期研究计划，旨在了解太阳的物理学、日地联系的各个方面以及类太阳恒星。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），因此我们的研究也促进了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？”。该提案重点关注当前挑战和问题的不同方面，各个项目之间具有自然的协同作用，有助于实现我们全面详细了解太阳和日地联系的长期目标。在这里，我们有兴趣找到以下问题的答案：产生强烈辐射（X射线、伽马射线）并将粒子加速到相对论速度的强大太阳耀斑背后的细节是什么？将太阳大气层的外层加热到数百万度，并以每小时一百万英里的速度加速带电粒子流（太阳风）远离太阳的基本过程是什么？太阳风是如何形成超音速和超阿尔芬流的，以及该流在行星际空间传播时如何演化？我们能否了解地球范艾伦辐射带的动力学（国际空间物理学界最优先考虑的问题之一）？我们能否确定地球磁层中关键波活动的物理原因？为了解决这些基本但尚未解答的问题，我们的研究利用了先进的数学技术、尖端的计算机模拟和数据密集型科学技术。我们利用最先进的太阳和日地仪器（例如 ESA 的太阳轨道飞行器、JAXA 的 Arase 和 NASA 的磁层多尺度任务、帕克太阳探测器、太阳动态观测站和范艾伦探测器）提供的最高质量的数据，来自整个电磁频谱（例如可见光、EUV、X 射线）的信息，并使用先进的统计和机器学习中的方法进行分析。

项目成果

Radial Diffusion Benchmarking: Initial Conditions

径向扩散基准测试：初始条件

• DOI: http://dx.10.5194/egusphere-egu23-3258
• 发表时间: 2023
• 作者: Bentley S

The existence of hot X-ray onsets in solar flares

太阳耀斑中存在热X射线爆发

• DOI: http://dx.10.1051/0004-6361/202347706
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Astronomy & Astrophysics
• 影响因子: 6.5
• 作者: Battaglia A

Source positions of an interplanetary type III radio burst and anisotropic radio-wave scattering

行星际III型射电暴的源位置和各向异性无线电波散射

• DOI: http://dx.10.1051/0004-6361/202347185
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Astronomy & Astrophysics
• 影响因子: 6.5
• 作者: Chen X

Advances in 3D solar flare modelling

3D 太阳耀斑建模的进展

• DOI: http://dx.10.1093/astrogeo/atad047
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Astronomy & Geophysics
• 影响因子: 0.8
• 作者: Druett M

Tips for writing a good recommendation letter

写一封好的推荐信的技巧

• DOI: http://dx.10.3389/fspas.2023.1114821
• 发表时间: 2023
• 期刊: Frontiers in Astronomy and Space Sciences
• 影响因子: 3
• 作者: Burrell A