Fundamental plasma physics of the sun and heliosphere: Warwick CFSA Consolidated Grant Application

定量地了解太阳日冕和太阳风中的基本物理过程不仅对太阳的物理及其与地球环境的联系至关重要，而且它还增强了我们对天体物理等离子体过程的总体知识。日冕MHD波与太阳耀斑和喷发等许多动力学过程直接相关，并携带有关等离子体参数和在其中运行的物理过程的独特信息；日冕波能够将能量和机械动量从对流区转移到日冕和日光层，并与等离子体不稳定性的发展有关。从太阳流出的等离子体产生太阳风。太阳风的结构和动力学与日冕的结构和动力学密切相关，这种高度可变的等离子体流可以导致局部加热，进而加速太阳风。太阳风被加速到这样的程度，原则上它是一个湍流实验室，所以量化它的波动对我们理解湍流有直接影响。因此，太阳风的可变性是起源于日冕的可变性和当地的湍流演化之间的微妙相互作用。量化和了解波动的太阳风也为宇宙射线在日光层中的传播模型和太阳风驱动的空间天气模型提供了重要的信息。太阳磁场是由太阳内部的发电机产生和维持的。日震学提供了一种方法，我们可以通过它来探测太阳的可见表面，识别太阳对流区的条件，约束不确定的发电机模型，并提供对内部磁场的重要见解，而内部磁场最终是太阳大气和其他地方更容易观察到的现象的原因。对这些过程的定量理解，与观测密切相关，既可以被视为理解观察到的现象的手段，也可以被视为利用观察到的现象作为理解新的基本等离子体物理的强大动力。因此，支撑这一计划的这些想法、技术和专业知识的影响超出了等离子体天体物理学的范畴。

Quantitative understanding of the fundamental physical processes acting in the Sun's corona and solar wind is essential not only to the physics of the Sun and its connection to the Earth's environment, but it also enhances our knowledge of astrophysical plasma processes in general. Coronal MHD waves are of direct relevance to much of the dynamics such as solar flares and eruptions and carry unique information about the plasma parameters and physical processes operating in it; coronal waves are capable of transferring energy and mechanical momentum from the convection zone into the corona and heliosphere and are associated with the development of plasma instabilities. The plasma flowing out from the sun generates a solar wind. The texture and dynamics of the solar wind is intimately connected to that of the solar corona and this highly variable plasma flow can lead to local heating which in turn accelerates the solar wind. The solar wind is accelerated to such an extent that it is in principle a turbulence laboratory so that quantifying its fluctuations has direct implications for our understanding of turbulence. Solar wind variability is thus a subtle interplay between variability originating in the corona, and turbulent evolution in-situ. Quantifying and understanding the fluctuating solar wind also provides an important input into models for the propagation of cosmic rays in the heliosphere, and for space weather for which the solar wind is the driver. The Sun's magnetic field is generated and maintained by a dynamo in the solar interior. Helioseismology offers a means by which we can probe beneath the visible surface of the Sun, discerning conditions in the Sun's convection zone, constraining uncertain dynamo models and providing vital insights into the internal magnetic field that is ultimately responsible for the more readily observable manifestations in the solar atmosphere and beyond. A quantitative understanding of these processes, closely coupled to observations, can be seen as either the means to understanding observed phenomena, or as using the observed phenomena as a strong drive to understanding new fundamental plasma physics. These ideas, techniques and expertise that underpin this programme are thus of impact beyond plasma astrophysics.