Using Solar X-ray Data to Find the Sun's Total Irradiance

Shannon Boland
Montana State University Solar Physics REU 2022
Adviser: Dr. Aki Takeda

About Me

I am a rising senior at the University of Wyoming. I am majoring in Physics and Astrophysics with minors in Creative Writing and Honors. I am participating in this Solar REU program this summer in order to learn if Grad school is for me and, if so, what I can specialize in.

Project Description

My project is a continuation of the project done during the Solar Physics REU 2021. The goal is to use data collected from the Hinode XRT solar satellite in order to derive the Solar Irradiance constant in X-rays in the units Watts per meter squared, and to observe how this constant changes over time. The Sun's activity increases and decreases in an 11-year cycle, and the Solar Irrandiance constant fluctuates as well along this same cycle. Total Solar Irradiance, especially light in the visible spectrum, only fluctuates about 0.1% during this cycle. X-ray irradiance, on the other hand, fluctuates on the order of thousands.

To accomplish the task for this REU project, I will need to analyze satellite data of the Sun using Thin-Be and Al-Mesh filters, by first calculating the electron count in each image. Next, I will use the intensities found and the Filter Ratio Method to calculate the Sun's temperature and emission measure. Finally, using the Chianti database, I will calculate the irradiance of the Sun in the Soft X-ray spectrum over the course of the mission.

Progress Reports / Presentations

The above presentations include my biweekly progress reports. All citations for the information used within these presentations are included on the last slide.

Project Abstract

Contact Info

Email: sboland@uwyo.edu
LinkedIn: See Profile

Sources Info