Spectral evolution of flare heating at high resolution

Advisors: Sarah Riley and Jiong Qiu

Solar flares release a large amount of energy, which heats the Sun's chromosphere impulsively and changes its temperature, density, and flow structure. These changes are reflected in many spectral lines formed in the chromosphere, and therefore, spectroscopic observations can be analyzed to diagnose atmosphere dynamics and infer flare heating properties. In this project we will study a few flares observed by the 4-meter Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telscope's Visible Spectropolarimeter (DKIST/ViSP). For each of these flares we will characterize the spectral features and their evolution with an adaptation of the k-means clustering algorithm. We aim to identify key similarities and differences in the chromospheric response during these flares to better understand the physical mechanisms and temporal-spatial scales of the energy deposition.

The student will learn how to prepare and analyze spectroscopic data from DKIST, the largest solar telescope in the world. Previous experience with Python is preferred but not required.