Advisor: Dana Longcope
The solar corona consists of two kinds of magnetic field lines. In bright, hot active regions all magnetic field lines are anchored to the solar surface at both ends - they are called closed field lines. Coronal holes consist of field lines extending from the solar surface into interplanetary space where they form the solar wind - they are called open field lines. A process called magnetic reconnection facilitates the exchange of footpoionts between pairs of field lines. When this occurs between an open and a closed field line it is termed interchange reconnection. Interchange reconnection creates a new open field line whose lower part is bent, as it was in the close field line, and has the high temperature and density characteristic of closed field.
Aspects of the evolution of this new field line may already be evident in measurements of the solar wind, especially close to the Sun. Without a clearer understanding of what to expect, however, we cannot be sure. This project seeks to model the process of interchange reconnection to supply that missing understanding.
This project will involve running a numerical program written to simulate a field line's response to magnetic reconnection. The program will be used to simulate the post-reconnection response to interchange reconnection in particular. Initializing the simulation, and interpreting its results, will involve the student writing new code in IDL. Understanding the response will involve classical mechanics, thermodynamics, and a bit of fluid mechanics.
