The Principal Investigator (PI) plans to study the basic physics behind the buildup of magnetic energy in the solar corona, extending his previous efforts with the 'finite-element' computational technique. In this project, he intends to cover more complex magnetic configurations in the corona, to study three-dimensional situations, and to include pressure and gravitational forces in his simulations. The PI's objective is to better describe the connections among the fundamental physics of magnetic fields, associated electric currents, and energy storage in stressed magnetic fields in the solar corona.
The researcher asserts that this work has implications for space weather operations, and might enhance our ability to predict space weather and the terrestrial impacts of solar activity. The PI also notes that this effort will introduce the finite-element approach, already well-known in engineering, as a fruitful technique for solar physics research. The PI will involve undergraduate students in this research and also plans to communicate the results to nonscientists and the general public through books and video courses.
