CAREER: Magnetic Tomography of Emerging Sunspots (MATES)

主要研究者建议制定一项科学方案，将圣费尔南多天文台的地面仪器和观测设施与日本国家天文台和Solar-B航天器（拟于2006年部署）的地面仪器和观测设施结合起来。该计划将被纳入加州州立大学北岭分校（CSUN）物理和天文学系的课程，以激发本科生和研究生对实验天文学的兴趣。提议者还计划对新兴太阳黑子进行多高度磁场测量，以及对太阳活动区进行近同时的深光球和色球磁场观测，使用太阳-B，翻新的SFO分光日光仪和NAOJ的类似仪器。SFO和NAOJ的地面高灵敏度近红外测量将补充Solar-B的更高空间分辨率观测。作为长期计划的一部分，PI打算在NSF的先进技术太阳望远镜项目完成后与之合作。这项建议解决了实验太阳物理学和天文学领域人力减少的问题，让本科生在职业生涯开始时接触最先进的观测太阳物理学，激励他们进一步追求学术。国际合作还将有助于制定实验天文学长期课程。这一努力将在加强美国的天文学教育方面发挥至关重要的作用，同时促进我们对太阳物理学中从日冕加热到空间天气预测等基本问题的理解。该项目将为实验天文学领域的研究和教育奠定坚实的基础，同时使本科生和研究生参与积极的研究。

The principal investigator (PI) proposes to develop a science program that integrated the ground based instrumentation and observing facilities of San Fernando Observatory (SFO) with those of National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) and the Solar-B spacecraft (to be deployed in 2006). This program would be integrated into the curriculum of the California State University-Northridge (CSUN) Department of Physics and Astronomy to spur interest in experimental astronomy among undergraduate and graduate students. The proposer also plans to make multi-height magnetic field measurements of emerging sunspots, as well as near-simultaneous deep photospheric and chromospheric magnetic field observations of solar active regions, with Solar-B, the refurbished SFO spectroheliograph, and similar instruments at NAOJ. The ground based, high sensitivity near-infrared (NIR) measurements at SFO and NAOJ would complement the higher spatial resolution observations of Solar-B. As a part of longer-term program, the PI intends to collaborate with the NSF's Advanced Technology Solar Telescope project upon its completion. This proposal addresses the problem of diminishing manpower in the fields of experimental solar physics and astronomy by exposing undergraduate students to state-of-the-art observational solar physics near the beginning of their careers, motivating their further academic pursuits. The international collaboration would also contribute to the development of a long-term curriculum for experimental astronomy. This effort will play a vital role in enhancing astronomical education in the United States while furthering our understanding of fundamental problems in solar physics, from coronal heating to space-weather prediction. This project will lay a robust foundation for research and education in the field of experimental astronomy while engaging undergraduate and graduate students in active research.