Dedicated Radio Imaging and Magnetic Field Measurements of the Sun

作为离我们最近的恒星，太阳为研究银河系中恒星的运行过程提供了一个重要的实验室。太阳也是影响地球上人类生活的太空天气的主要驱动力。太阳发射的电磁辐射从无线电到x射线波长。该提案将支持一个专用太阳能设施的科学和运行，即扩展欧文斯谷太阳能阵列（EOVSA），该设施将以无线电波长观察太阳。EOVSA将为太阳物理界提供宝贵的资源，为太阳大气科学、太阳活动区的三维结构和空间天气驱动因素做出重要贡献。该提案还将支持下一代太阳能科学家的教育和培训，从高中到研究生再到博士后研究人员都将参与其中。该提案将支持扩展欧文斯谷太阳能阵列（EOVSA）作为社区设施的科学和运营。EOVSA是一个太阳能专用的射电干涉仪阵列，位于欧文斯谷射电天文台（OVRO），在欧文斯谷，加利福尼亚州。该设施将完成的科学研究包括：(1)定位太阳耀斑的加速点，阐明高能电子的加速机制，并了解电子能量分布的起始和演化；(2)确定太阳大气中磁场强度、方向、温度和密度与高度的关系，包括每日多次的日冕磁场常规测绘，以了解太阳大气的三维结构和太阳活动的起始机制；(3)获取F10.7亮温和喷发事件的日全盘图像，研究影响地球和近地空间环境的磁和辐射主导过程的物理机制；(4)探测、编目和研究来自耀斑星和其他夜间瞬变源的射电耀斑的光谱和时间演变。

As our closest star, the Sun provides an important laboratory to study the processes that govern stars in our Galaxy. The Sun is also the primary driver for the space weather that impacts human life on Earth. The Sun emits electromagnetic radiation from radio to X-ray wavelengths. This proposal will support both the science and operations of a dedicated solar facility the Expanded Owens Valley Solar Array (EOVSA) that will observe the Sun at radio wavelengths. The EOVSA will provide a valuable resource to the solar physics community making important contributions to the science of the solar atmosphere, the 3-dimensional (3D) structure of solar active regions, and the drivers of space weather. The proposal will also support the education and training of the next generation of solar scientists with the involvement of students on levels ranging from high school to graduate students to postdoctoral researchers. This proposal will support the science and operations of the Expanded Owens Valley Solar Array (EOVSA) as a community facility. EOVSA is a solar-dedicated radio interferometer array, located at Owens Valley Radio Observatory (OVRO), in Owens Valley, CA. The science that will be accomplished with the facility includes: (1) locating the acceleration site in solar flares, elucidating the acceleration mechanism(s) for high-energy electrons, and understanding the initiation and evolution of the electron energy distribution; (2) determining the magnetic field strength, direction, temperature, and density as a function of height in the solar atmosphere, including routine mapping of the coronal magnetic field up to several times per day, in order to understand the 3D structure of the solar atmosphere and the initiation mechanisms of solar activity; (3) obtaining daily full-disk images of the F10.7 brightness temperature and eruptive events in order to study the physical mechanisms of magnetically and radiatively dominated processes that impact the Earth and near-Earth space environment; (4) detecting, cataloging, and studying the spectral and temporal evolution of radio flares from flare stars and other nighttime transient sources.