An STFC Consolidated grant application to support solar and space science at the University of Sheffield

这个研究项目围绕着分析、建模、解释和理解发生在太阳和日地等离子体中的动力学过程的想法。它关注几个关键的基本过程，这些过程对理解太阳-地球环境至关重要。它使用在太阳系内进行的直接测量和数值模型来理解和验证这些数据。它的核心重点是推进基础科学。然而，通过这样做，它将直接导致更好地理解太阳对地球和其他行星环境的影响，这对现代社会越来越重要。该研究方案有两个总体上密切相关的高级别目标。第一个是更好地了解太阳风（太阳发射的高速磁化物质流）如何与行星相互作用。二是了解太阳的大气层及其太阳风的产生。这项研究分为四个项目。前两个项目解决了第一个目标。具体来说，他们专注于了解由于行星与太阳风的相互作用而在行星前方产生的冲击波。这些冲击波是高速太阳风在与行星环境相互作用之前减速和加热的主要手段。第二组两个项目解决第二个目标。具体来说，他们专注于了解整个太阳大气层的极端温度变化是如何产生的，以及相对较小的过程是如何引起这些变化的。这项研究计划的主要成果将是促进基础科学的发展。然而，它的影响远不止于此。只有通过了解我们自己的太阳系，我们才能更好地了解更遥远的系统，在那里我们无法发射航天器取样并进行直接的原位测量。这个研究项目的影响包括帮助回答诸如系外行星是否可以孕育生命以及超新星如何将物质加速到已知的最高能量等问题。在推进基础科学的同时，研究结果将有助于为数据分析和未来太空任务的设计提供信息，以探索我们生活的直接和更广泛的环境。其结果对于更好地了解我们所生活的更广泛的空间环境及其对我们当前和未来“生活”环境的影响至关重要。社会越来越依赖技术，而技术往往与能源和通信网络有着内在的联系。这种对人类自然环境的更好理解最终将有助于规划一个安全和可持续的未来。

This research programme revolves around the idea of analysing, modelling, interpreting and understanding the dynamical processes occurring in solar and solar-terrestrial plasmas. It focuses on several key fundamental processes that are crucial in understanding the Sun-Earth environment. It uses direct measurements made within our solar system and numerical models to understand and validate this data. Its core focus is on advancing fundamental science. However, by doing so it will directly lead to a better understand of the effects of the sun on the terrestrial and other planetary environments, which has increasing importance for modern society.The research programme has two overall closely linked high level aims. The first is to better understand how the solar wind (the high velocity stream of magnetised matter emitted by the Sun) interacts with planets. The second is to understand the atmosphere of the Sun and its generation of the solar wind. The research is split into four projects. The first two projects address the first aim. Specifically they are focused on understanding the shock waves produced in front of the planets due to their interaction with the solar wind. These shock waves are the primary means by which the high speed solar wind is slowed down and heated just before in interacts with the immediate planetary environment. The second set of two projects address the second aim. Specifically they are focused on understanding how the extreme temperature changes throughout the Sun's atmosphere arise and how relatively small scale processes can cause these.The primary results from the research programme will be in advancing fundamental science. However, its impact goes beyond this. Only by understanding our own solar system are we able to better understand more distant systems, where we cannot send spacecraft to sample and make direct in-situ measurement. The impact of this the research programme includes helping answer questions such as whether exoplanets can harbour life and how supernovae accelerate matter to some of the highest energies know. As well as advancing the fundamental science, the results will help inform the analysis of data from, and design of future space missions to explore the immediate and wider environment in which we live. Its results are fundamental to achieving a better understanding of the wider space-environment that we live in and its effect of our immediate and future "living" environment. Society is becoming increasingly reliant on technology, which is often inherently linked to energy and communication networks. This better understanding of humanities natural environment will ultimately help plan for a safe and sustainable future.