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Project type and supervisor
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Project title and brief description
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Modeling with
Dana
Longcope
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Simulating A Solar Flare
Solar flares occur when a large amount of energy is converted into X-rays, heat, and supersonic fluid motion. Prior
to the flare this energy is stored as magnetic field filling the atmosphere above sunspots and related features called
active regions. The energy is released suddenly when an electric field changes the connectivity of several coronal
magnetic field lines, which then retract rapidly. The fluid in these field line moves faster than the speed of sound
and therefore creates shocks, which are believed to heat the plasma to tens of millions of Kelvins. In this project
we will run numerical simulations to model this process.
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Data analysis with
Marika McCarthy
and
Dana Longcope
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Magnetic Reconnection in the Sun's Corona
When viewed in X-rays or extreme ultraviolet (EUV) the Sun's outer atmosphere, the corona, consists of many thin strands called loops. These loops are believed to trace out the magnetic fields, and are formed by a process called magnetic reconnection. Magnetic reconnection exchanges magnetic flux between neighbouring systems and releases magnetic energy. To understand this crucial physical process, we will analyze X-ray and EUV images and make quantitative measurements of magnetic flux involved in reconnection, using a technique pioneered by the team at MSU.
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Data analysis with
Jiong Qiu
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Heating and Cooling of Solar Flare Plasmas
Solar flares are energetic events in the solar atmosphere. During a flare, a physical
process called magnetic reconnection restructures magnetic fields in the solar corona,
forming closed magnetic loops and releasing free magnetic energy in these structures. In
this project, we will analyze radiation signatures of solar flares observed in multiple wavelengths
to investigate how plasmas are heated by free magnetic energy.
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Data Analysis with
Aki Takeda
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Solar Soft X-ray irradiance with Hinode/XRT
Radiations of the Sun in different wavelengths vary in a 11-yr cycle, which is
the solar activity cycle. Montana State University is home of Hinode/XRT Synoptic Composite
Image Archive with soft X-ray observations of the Sun taken from 2006 to
present. In this project, we will analyze these observations to derive
long term variations of solar soft X-ray irradiance, and study its
spatial distribution. Student will also have opportunities to learn operation of an
international satellite like Hinode.
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Data Analysis with
Chunming Zhu
and
Jiong Qiu
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Statistical Study of Energy Partition between Solar Flares and CMEs
Solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) are frequently
observed to occur together. During the eruption, the free
magnetic energy is converted into thermal and kinetic energies
released in flares and CMEs. In this project, we will
analyze observations from multiple spacecraft viewing the Sun from different angles,
and calculate the energy released in flares and CMEs.
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Optical instrumentation with
Joe Shaw
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Analysis of Optical Aurora Detector Data
Auroras, the beautiful light shows in the sky, are caused by solar storms.
In this project, we will calibrate an optical instrument that is
designed to measure auroras ("northern lights") and send information that
can be used to notify interested observers. We will apply the calibration to
data collected in Alaska, and explore different aurora-identification
algorithms.
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Hardware development with
John Sample
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Space Hardware Development: Space Flight Systems for Space Science
Join our Small Satellite Team for Summer 2018! MSU's Space Science and Engineering Laboratory (SSEL) involves science and engineering students in highly responsible roles associated with the development of space flight systems for scientific applications. The student(s) will develop spaceflight hardware through design, development, and testing as a member of an interdisciplinary project student team.
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