Prominence Dynamics and Structure with SDO/AIA
ROSES ID: NNH10ZDA001N Selection Year: 2011
Program Element: Solar Dynamics Observatory
Principal Investigator: Therese Kucera
Affiliation(s): NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Project Member(s):
Gilbert, Holly Co-I NASA
Luna Bennasar, Manuel Co-I UMCP
Karpen, Judy Collaborator NASA/Goddard Spaceflight Center
Boerner, Paul Collaborator Lockheed Martin
Muglach, Karin Co-I Artep, Inc.
Martin, Sara F Collaborator Helio Research
Summary:
The question of prominence formation is essential to our understanding
of the energetic processes occurring in the solar atmosphere and solar
magnetic field. New data from the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA)
aboard the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) will allow us to make
significant progress in this area.
We will use new data from SDO/AIA to answer the fundamental
questions: what is the origin of solar prominence mass and how does it
evolve? With AIA's unprecedented spatial, temporal, and thermal
coverage of the entire disk we will analyze dynamic prominence motions
to an extent never before possible. This will enable us to test models
of prominence mass formation and energetics, and to make essential
advances in understanding the birth and life cycle of these ubiquitous
features.
To accomplish this goal we will combine two observational
investigations with state-of-the-art prominence modeling. We will
perform: 1) a survey of many prominences to determine what proportion
of prominences exhibit fast extreme ultraviolet (EUV) motions, at what
temperatures they appear, and under what conditions; and 2) an in-depth
study of selected prominences in order to determine the life histories
of moving prominence features, including measurement of temperature
variation, masses, sizes, and velocities.
The survey will allow us to describe the general characteristics of
prominence motions in temperatures from 10^4 to 4x10^6 K so that we can
assess the prevalence of signatures of competing models. The results of
the in-depth studies of individual prominences will be used for
detailed comparisons with and testing of models of prominence mass
formation and energetics. In particular, we will compare our results to
detailed predictions made with the thermal nonequilibrium model of
prominence formation.
This research is directly relevant to 1.2.3 Science Analysis for the
Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) in the LWS TR&T NRA in that it is
centered on analysis of SDO/AIA data with a goal of understanding an
important manifestation of solar magnetic activity. Prominences are a
key signature of the magnetic variability and organization of the
solar atmosphere. A thorough characterization and understanding of
the processes resulting in plasma dynamics will enhance our
understanding of the magnetic field in prominence channels and perhaps
ultimately the eruptions of these fields.
Presentations:
Performance Year | Reference | Actions |
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1 | Weber, Mark A.; Reeves, K. K.; Gibson, S. E.; Kucera, T. A.;...
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1 | Kucera, Therese A.; Knizhnik, K.; Lopez Ariste, A.; Luna Ben...
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1 | Schmieder, Brigitte; Mein, Pierre; Dalmasse, Kévin; Tian, H...
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