Dynamics of magneto-convection in solar prominences

Advisors: David McKenzie and Michael Freed

Recent high-resolution observations of solar prominences have revealed the presence of simultaneous flows upwards and downwards, at length scales that were not accessible with previous telescopes. These motions have the appearance of convection in the prominences, and initial investigations of temperatures in the plasma support the idea that the upward motions are driven by thermal buoyancy. However, prominences are magnetic structures, and the strength and arrangement of their magnetic fields are crucial for determining whether a given prominence will erupt into a coronal mass ejection. Convection is somewhat damped by magnetic forces, but can also have the power to twist, tangle, and disrupt those magnetic fields. Anything we can learn about the dynamics of the magnetized plasma in prominences, and the balance between magnetic and gas-pressure forces, is therefore valuable for understanding how these apparently stable structures can evolve to become suddenly eruptive.

In this project, we will measure the dynamics of convection in a few solar prominences using a cross-correlation technique, and make estimates of the kinetic energy, diffusivity, and vorticity, among other things. The participating student will learn about solar observations from space and data analysis techniques. A qualifying student should have passed course(s) with an introduction to thermodynamics, and vector calculus; experience in computer programming is desired but not required.