Preparing for the DKIST Era: Numerical Modeling of the Lower Solar Atmosphere

太阳磁场在连接不同的层和为太阳大气的不同区域提供能量以及驱动“太空天气”方面发挥着关键作用。用新一代地面望远镜进行详细的观测可以帮助我们更好地了解太阳的磁场。为了解释这些观测，我们需要对太阳大气中发生的物理过程有更全面的了解。这项研究项目将使用先进的计算机模型来识别较低太阳大气中影响太阳磁场的关键过程。因此，该项目将能够有效利用由公共投资建造的望远镜。研究小组将对太阳色球进行三维数值模拟，以帮助解释来自丹尼尔·K·井上太阳望远镜(DKIST)和阿塔卡马大毫米/亚毫米阵列(ALMA)等望远镜的敏感高分辨率观测。该团队将使用BiFrost数值代码进行模拟，其中将包括对双极扩散和非平衡电离等物理过程的真实处理，以及它们在大小范围内的影响。这些模拟还将产生可与DKIST和ALMA的数据进行比较的合成观测数据，以确定驱动太阳色球动力学和加热的过程。

The Sun's magnetic field plays a critical role in connecting the different layers and powering the various regions of the solar atmosphere, as well as in driving "space weather." Detailed observations with a new generation of ground-based telescopes could help us better understand the Sun's magnetic field. To interpret these observations, we need to develop a more complete knowledge of the physical processes occurring in the solar atmosphere. This research project will use advanced computer models to identify key processes in the lower solar atmosphere that influence the Sun's magnetic field. The project will thus enable the effective use of telescopes built with public investment. It will also provide science enrichment and research experience to K-12 students and undergraduate students.The research team will perform three-dimensional numerical simulations of the solar chromosphere to help interpret sensitive high-resolution observations from telescopes such as the Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope (DKIST) and the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). The team will employ the numerical code Bifrost for the simulations, which will include a realistic treatment of physical processes such as ambipolar diffusion and non-equilibrium ionization, as well as their effects over a wide range of size scales. The simulations will also yield synthetic observables that can be compared to data from DKIST and ALMA to identify processes that drive the dynamics and heating of solar chromosphere.