Understanding how the solar corona is heated to high temperatures is a fundamental problem in solar physics. All physical models of the coronal heating process rely on the impulsive release of energy on very small spatial and temporal scales. Our inability to resolve individual "nanoflare" heating events makes it difficult to reconcile theories of coronal heating with observations. The latest generation of solar observatories, however, do provide very detailed information on somewhat larger, flare-like brightenings and the focus of this program is on the application of hydrodynamic modeling to such events. The goal is to use these simulations to investigate the relationship between the signatures of energy transport, such as hard X-ray emission and transition region velocities observed with RHESSI and IRIS, and the evolution of coronal plasma observed with Hinode and SDO. Ultimately these simulations will be scaled to both smaller and larger events to investigate both the heating of the corona and the release of energy from magnetic reconnection during large solar flares.

 

Keywords:

Solar physics; Numerical models and analyses; Solar atmosphere; Solar flares; Ultraviolet astronomy; X-ray astronomy;

Citizenship:  Open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents

Level:  Open to Postdoctoral applicants