CAREER: Comprehensive Study of Initiation and Evolution of Solar Energetic Phenomena

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The Principal Investigator (PI) will investigate the physical mechanisms of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and flares. In particular, he will study confined flares (those flares without associated CMEs) and eruptive flares (flares associated with CMEs). The PI plans to statistically analyze distributions of CME acceleration and velocity in their main energy release phase and the later propagation phase. The PI will use data from various spacecraft, including SOHO, STEREO, Hinode, and SDO. He will develop advanced image processing techniques to quantify the physical parameters of solar active regions, including area size, total flux, and length of neutral lines. Potential Field Source Surface models (PFSS), based on line-of-sight magnetic field data, and Non-linear Force Free models (NLFF), based on vector magnetic field data, will be used to characterize the coronal magnetic field. The PI will use the empirical results obtained from this study to evaluate, constrain, and improve existing theoretical models. This project will provide a better understanding of many fundamental physical processes that also happen throughout the universe, such as magnetic reconnection, plasma instability, and particle acceleration. Since CMEs and flares are the main drivers of severe disturbances in the geospace environment, this work will enhance our capabilities for characterizing and predicting the space weather events that may affect the safety of astronauts, as well as satellite operations for communication and navigation. The PI is committed to training the next generation of scientists in the fields of space weather and solar physics. He will continue developing graduate courses in solar physics and space weather for the university curriculum, and will expand his space weather lab for education and research at GMU. The project will also foster an ongoing partnership between George Mason University and the Naval Research Laboratory, as well as international collaborations.