Collaborative Research: Using Gravity Waves to Probe the Solar Atmosphere

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This research is targeted at making a fundamental breakthrough in understanding of the dynamics of the solar atmosphere by conducting the first detailed observational characterization of the Sun's internal gravity waves. These waves are likely playing a significant role in the dynamics of the Sun?s atmosphere (that affects Earth's "space weather"), but little is known about them because of difficulties observing their oblique paths and small vertical wavelengths. This project will radically change this situation by determining the role internal gravity waves play in the energy balance of the solar atmosphere - both the "traditional" gravity waves with frequencies below the Lamb frequency and the recently discovered "anomalous" gravity waves with frequencies above the Lamb frequency. This will be accomplished by combining the data from two high sensitivity and stability Doppler magnetographs deployed to the Antarctic South Pole Station along with the data collected by the Helioseismic Magnetic Imager instrument on-board the NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in space. The project will be imaging "line-of-sight" solar plasma velocity fields with high spatial resolution at three separate heights in the solar atmosphere. These images will provide the basis for the first detailed characterization of the properties of internal gravity waves as a first step towards developing suitable diagnostic tools for probing the solar atmosphere from the ground. Solid science, collaborative effort, and the Doppler magnetographs' deployment to Antarctica provide an ideal opportunity to achieve excellent education and outreach goals. By providing undergraduates and college students with Antarctic research experience, the proposal demonstrates how a future generation of researchers can make meaningful contributions to the cutting-edge science.