REU Site: Space Physics and Solar Astrophysics Program at Montana State University

物理或相关领域的本科生将与蒙大拿州立大学的教职员工和研究生一起开展太阳天体物理和空间物理的研究。这项研究旨在提高我们对太阳大气中能量释放的物理机制及其对空间天气的影响的理解。学生发展和加强实际研究技能，并学习应用在课堂上获得的学术知识来解决现实世界的研究问题。该计划鼓励代表性不足的群体参与，并有助于培养学生对STEM研究和职业的兴趣。特别是，专业科学家在大学环境中的研究经验有助于学生做出明智的决定，继续他们在这些领域的教育和研究。该项目的目标是：1)为本科生提供高质量的研究经验；2)培养学生的独立性、创造力和对空间物理和天文学研究生学习的兴趣；3)展示学术知识与实际研究问题的关系；4)发展和加强参与者的实用研究技能；以及5)促进未被充分代表的学生参与STEM研究和职业发展。在夏季的十周时间里，学生们将分析和模拟来自太空任务和地面望远镜的最先进的观测，并学习如何制造获得这些数据的仪器。可能的研究主题包括：磁场重联和耀斑能量学的测量特性、太阳耀斑的流体动力学模拟、低太阳日冕中日冕物质抛射的加速、太阳辐射的太阳周期变化、重建帕克太阳探测器观测到的日冕抛射的轨迹，以及空间和地面硬件的开发。这些项目经常产生联合专业出版物和会议报告。该计划还提供各种职业发展机会，如计算机和编程教程、大学教师和访问学者的讲座和研究研讨会，以及学生研究报告和小组会议。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Undergraduate students majoring in physics or related fields will conduct research in solar astrophysics and space physics with faculty and graduate students at Montana State University. The research aims to improve our understanding of physical mechanisms that govern energy release in the Sun's atmosphere and its effect on space weather. Students develop and strengthen practical research skills and learn to apply academic knowledge acquired in classrooms to solving real-world research problems. The program encourages participation by under-represented groups and helps grow students' interest in STEM research and career. In particular, the research experience with professional scientists in a university environment helps students make informed decisions about continuing their education and research in these fields.The objectives of the project are to 1) provide undergraduate students with high-quality research experience, 2) develop independence, creativity, and interest in space physics and astronomy graduate study, 3) demonstrate how academic knowledge relates to real-word research problems, 4) develop and strengthen practical research skills of participants, and 5) enhance participation by underrepresented students in STEM research and career advancement. For ten weeks during the summer, students will analyze and model state-of-the-art observations from space missions and ground-based telescopes, and also learn to build instruments that obtain these data. Possible research topics include measuring properties of magnetic reconnection and flare energetics, hydrodynamic simulation of solar flares, acceleration of coronal mass ejection in the low solar corona, solar cycle variation of solar irradiance, reconstructing trajectories of coronal ejectas observed by the Parker Solar Probe, and space and ground-based hardware development. The projects frequently result in joint professional publications and conference presentations. The program also provides a variety of professional development opportunities, such as computer and programing tutorials, lectures and research seminars by both university faculty and visiting scholars, and student research presentations and group meetings.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.