Unraveling the Mysteries of the Sun’s Atmosphere

The SFAA welcomes guest speaker Dr Bart De Pontieu of Lockheed Martin Solar & Astrophysics Laboratory. All SFAA lectures are free and open to the public.

The Sun, our nearest star, is more than just a blazing ball of fire. Its atmosphere, hotter than its already scorching surface, presents a puzzle that has intrigued scientists for years. How does the Sun’s magnetic field drive the heating of its 10,000-degree chromosphere and million-degree corona? This enigma holds significant implications for Earth, as the Sun’s corona hosts powerful explosions and eruptions that can trigger space weather events affecting our technology-dependent society. From mesmerizing auroras to disruptions in communication systems and satellite operations, the Sun’s activity touches our daily lives in unexpected ways.
In this talk, I will delve into the recent strides made in understanding the Sun’s atmospheric dynamics. Thanks to breakthrough observations from space-based telescopes like NASA’s IRIS and SDO, coupled with advancements in supercomputing, we are gaining deeper insights into the mechanisms driving solar heating. Moreover, I will explore the upcoming frontier in solar research, with future observatories like MUSE poised to revolutionize our understanding of the Sun’s behavior and its impact on our planet and beyond.