Multi-site Observations of the 2017 Eclipse Across America

该项目将支持对2017年8月21日横跨美国的2017年大美国日食的天文观测。 日全食穿越美国是非常罕见的事件;上一次日全食穿越美国大陆是在1918年6月18日。 日冕为研究日冕提供了一个独特的科学机会。 日冕是太阳的外层大气，虽然非常热（3-4百万华氏度），但与太阳圆盘的光相比非常微弱。 在日全食期间，月亮挡住了来自太阳圆盘的光线，使科学家能够研究这种稀薄的日冕，许多被统称为空间天气的现象都是在那里产生的。 该项目将从三个相隔数百英里的不同Vantage位置观察2017年日食，以最大限度地减少天气风险并最大限度地发挥潜在的科学价值。 该项目涉及学生的培训，PI在向公众宣传日食科学方面有着良好的记录。 该项目将利用这次日全食对日冕进行光谱线观测，观测范围从日冕底部到8个太阳半径。 目前的地面和空间设施无法进入日冕的这一较低区域。该项目将探索太阳风源区日冕等离子体的物理特性，并可能研究观测期间可能发生的任何日冕物质抛射。 为了进行观测，PI将使用三个相隔数百英里的仪器相同的望远镜站点来观测日食。 这些望远镜将配备三通道成像光谱仪，其通道以Fe X 637.4 nm、FE Xi 789.2 nm和Fe XIV 530.3 nm的日冕发射线为中心，每个通道的带通为70 nm。 这将提供有关铁（Fe）、氩（Ar）和镍（Ni）等元素的连续光和线发射的信息。 这将是首次观测到Ar X，Ar Xi，Ar XIII，Fe XV，Ni XIII和Ni XV的光谱线。 该项目还提供了一个独特的教育和推广机会，将对STEM教育产生持久的影响，远远超过2017年的活动。 PI机构的学生将从事太阳物理学和天文学研究和教育。 因此，该项目将有助于激励和培训下一代天文学家。 此外，PI一直是太阳物理学和日食科学的直言不讳的倡导者。

This project will support astronomical observations of the 2017 Great American eclipse that will track across the United States on August 21, 2017. Total solar eclipse crossings of the United States are extremely rare events; the last time a total solar eclipse crossed the Continental U.S. from coast to coast was June 18, 1918. Eclipses offer a unique scientific opportunity to study the corona of the Sun. The corona is the outer atmosphere of the Sun, which although very hot (3-4 million degrees F), is very faint when compared to the light from the solar disk. During a total solar eclipse the moon blocks the light from the solar disk allowing scientists to study this tenuous corona where many of the phenomena collectively known as space weather are generated. This project will observe the 2017 eclipse from three different vantage points separated by hundreds of miles in order to minimize the risks due to weather and to maximize the potential science. The project involves the training of students and the PI has a proven track record of reaching out to the public regarding eclipse science. This project will take advantage of this total solar eclipse to perform spectral line observations of the solar corona from its base out to a distance of 8 solar radii. This lower region of the solar corona is inaccessible to current ground and space-based facilities. The project will explore the physical properties of the coronal plasma in the source regions of the solar wind and potentially study any coronal mass ejections that might occur during the observations. To perform the observations the PI will use three identically instrumented telescope sites separated by hundreds of miles to observe the eclipse. The telescopes will be equipped with triple-channel imaging spectrometers with channels centered on coronal emission lines of Fe X 637.4 nm, FE XI 789.2 nm and Fe XIV 530.3 nm with a bandpass of 70 nm for each channel. This will provide information on the continuum light and line emission from elements like Iron (Fe), Argon (Ar) and Nickel (Ni). These will be the first ever observations of the spectral lines of Ar X, Ar XI, Ar XIII, Fe XV, Ni XIII and Ni XV. The project also offers a unique opportunity of education and outreach that will have lasting effects on STEM education well beyond the 2017 event. Students from PI's institution will be engaged in solar physics and astronomy research and education. The project will, thus, serve to inspire and train the next generation of astronomers. In addition the PI has been an outspoken advocate for solar physics and eclipse science.