Research Highlights

Evidence of the existence of hydrodynamic and MHD Rossby waves in the Sun is accumulating rapidly. We employ an MHD Rossby wave model for the Sun in simplified Cartesian geometry, with a uniform toroidal field and no differential rotation, to analyze the role of each force that contributes to Rossby wave dynamics, and compute fluid particle trajectories followed in these waves.

We report the first results of a global ionosphere/thermosphere simulation study that self-consistently generates large-scale equatorial spread F (ESF) plasma bubbles in the post-sunset ionosphere. The coupled model comprises the ionospheric code SAMI3 and the atmosphere/thermosphere code WACCM-X.

Philip Judge states that the interpretation of emission lines formed in large astrophysical plasmas such as the solar atmosphere faces many challenges. Relatively simple line-ratio estimates of physical parameters, while appealing, are heavily laden with assumptions.

The strength and structure of the Earth's magnetic field is gradually changing. These changes do not only affect the difference between the geographic and magnetic pole, which we have to consider when we hike in higher latitude regions.

The Global-scale Observations of the Limb and Disk (GOLD) is a NASA mission of opportunity designed to study how the Earth’s ionosphere-thermosphere system responds to geomagnetic storms, solar radiation and upward propagating tides on time scales as short as 30 minutes.

The analyses of sunspot observations revealed a fundamental magnetic property of the umbral boundary, the invariance of the vertical component of the magnetic field. We aim to analyse the magnetic properties of the umbra-penumbra boundary in simulated sunspots and thus assess their similarity to observed sunspots. 

While the quiet Sun magnetic field shows only little variation with the solar cycle, long-term variations cannot be completely ruled out from first principles.

A recent statistical study has suggested that not all electromagnetic ion cyclotron (EMIC) waves can scatter relativistic electrons. However, knowledge of the factors that influence the EMIC wave scattering efficiency is still limited in observations. In our study, we perform 6 years of analysis of data from 2013 to 2018, with relativistic electron precipitation (REP) observed by POES and EMIC wave observations from Van Allen Probes.

NASA's WB-57 High Altitude Research Program provides a deployable, mobile, stratospheric platform for scientic research. Airborne platforms are of particular value for making coronal observations during total solar eclipses because of their ability both to follow the Moon's shadow and to get above most of the atmospheric airmass that can interfere with astronomical observations.