Magnetic Reconnection in Solar Flares

Justin Riggs

Montana State University Solar Physics REU 2023

Dr. Jiong Qiu

About Me

I am a rising senior at West Virginia University, where I am a Physics major with minors in both Applied Mathematics and Secondary STEM Education. At WVU, I work on researching the Earth's bow shock region and electrostatic waves in plasma using the MMS satellites. For this summer, I will be working on looking at how magnetic reconnection is connected to the release of thermal energy in the Sun's solar flares using the Solar Dynamics Observatory. After I graduate, I hope to continue my education in a research doctorate program studying space plasma.


Research Project

Justin Riggs, Dr. Jiong Qiu