The Principal Investigator (PI) and her collaborators will take multi-spectral observations during several upcoming solar eclipses in order to map the ion abundance, electron temperature, and direction of the coronal magnetic field in the inner corona. The team plans to study the distribution of neutral hydrogen and helium in the solar corona, as well as to investigate the properties of dust grains in the near-Sun environment. Data will be obtained in the spectral lines of ionized iron, sulfur, and silicon, as well as in neutral helium and hydrogen. Coupled with laboratory experiments, these observations will enable detection of fluorescence signatures of interplanetary dust grains present in the solar corona.
This project will exploit the complementary diagnostic techniques of resonant scattering and polarization to follow the evolution of ions and neutrals in the solar corona. Heavy ions and traces of lighter neutral atoms (such as hydrogen and helium) in the inner corona serve as local probes of the physical processes that heat the solar atmosphere to over one million degrees and accelerate the solar wind. While ions are tied to coronal magnetic fields, neutrals reflect the fate of cooler material from solar as well as interstellar origin. As ions and neutrals expand away from the Sun, they interact and evolve under the influence of the local magnetic field, the local electron temperature, and through collisions. This research will enhance our understanding of these phenomena.
In previous eclipse expeditions, members of the research team have been successful in raising public awareness of scientific research in general and of solar physics in particular. Their prior efforts have proved to be engaging for the imagination and intellect of younger students specifically. The research team represents a fruitful collaboration involving small and large universities led by a senior female scientist. The eclipse expeditions will involve graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and a K-12 teacher, with an emphasis on education.
" was a collaborative proposal with both a science and an educational component. Bridgewater State University's primary role was to support the educational goals of the project. Over the course of 5 years, the team traveled to observe eclipses in China, Tatakoto (in French Polynesia), and the Marshall Islands. We were able to bring a high school teacher with us on the trip to China –our goal was to have her engaged in the research and bring the experience back to her students. She learned a lot about the science we were doing – primarily exploring the infrared environment of the Sun’s upper atmosphere. Since the Sun emits light in many colors, infrared included, we used filters in our scientific experiments to look at specific infrared wavelengths. A nice way to demonstrate that the light from the Sun comes in different wavelengths is to use a spectrometer to separate the Sun’s visible light into individual colors. With that educational goal in mind, we built a low-cost spectrometer out of parts from a craft store (cardboard box, duct tape, razor blades, a shipping tube, etc.) that could travel well and be used to look at the Sun and other light sources. Our goal was to use this spectroscope during the eclipse and while we did get some interesting results, the clear strength of this instrument is its usefulness for outreach activities. The spectroscope was very popular with visiting officials at the eclipse site in China and is still being used for educational activities in pre-k through college. Our grant was unique in part because we focused our education and outreach efforts primarily on teachers. Our vision in doing this was that if we can make an impact on teachers, each teacher could reach many more children than we ever could. With that goal in mind, we developed and delivered a week-long, 3 credit graduate course at BSU called "Teaching Science With the Sun" that was free of charge to middle and high school teachers. This course was very successful - participants left with many activities for use in their own classrooms. We plan to offer it again.
