CAREER: Magnetic Reconnection--An Observational Investigation

首席研究员（PI）计划首次从观测中定量确定太阳磁场重联的拓扑结构和能量学。 她将开发和实施新技术，用于分析太阳耀斑演化和磁场的最先进观测结果，这些观测结果由地面观测站（如BBSO，NSO和OVSA）以及航天器（如Hinode，TRACE，RHESSI和SoHO）获得。 PI的观测确定的物理量将为磁重联的理论模型提供关键约束，并将应用于测试模型和研究太阳物理学中的突出问题，例如日冕物质抛射（CME）在其演化早期阶段的磁结构和运动学。PI将支持博士生进行论文研究，并让本科生参与数据分析、物理量推导和理论模型测试。 此外，为了加强蒙大拿州立大学天文学和普通科学的本科教育，她将改革现有的太阳系天文学课程。 PI计划设计和实施新颖的实验室项目作为有效的教学工具，为学生提供获得天文观测和测量的实践经验。 PI希望她的创新的实际成果是一个升级的校园观测系统，一个新的实验室手册，并显着改善天文学课程大纲。

The Principal Investigator (PI) plans to, for the first time, quantitatively determine the topology and energetics of solar magnetic reconnection from observations. She will develop and implement new techniques for analyzing state-of-the-art observations of solar flare evolution and magnetic fields, obtained by ground-based observatories (such as BBSO, NSO, and OVSA) as well as by spacecraft (such as Hinode, TRACE, RHESSI, and SoHO). The PI's observationally determined physical quantities will provide crucial constraints to theoretical models of magnetic reconnection, and will be applied to test models and study outstanding issues in solar physics, such as the magnetic structure and kinematics of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) at early stages in their evolution.In order to train the next generation of solar physicists, the PI will support a PhD student to conduct thesis research and engage undergraduate students in the data analysis, derivation of physical quantities, and testing of theoretical models. Also, to enhance undergraduate education in astronomy and general science at Montana State University, she will reform the existing solar system astronomy course. The PI plans to design and implement novel lab projects as an effective teaching tool, providing students with hands-on experience in obtaining astronomical observations and measurements. The PI expects the practical outcome of her innovations to be an upgraded campus observing system, a new laboratory manual, and a significantly improved astronomy course syllabus.