The Solar Dynamics Observatory

This volume is dedicated to the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), which was launched 11 February 2010. The articles focus on the spacecraft and its instruments: the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly (AIA), the Extreme Ultraviolet Variability Experiment (EVE), and the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager (HMI). Articles within also describe calibration results and data processing pipelines that are critical to understanding the data and products, concluding with a description of the successful Education and Public Outreach activities. This book is geared towards anyone interested in using the unprecedented data from SDO, whether for fundamental heliophysics research, space weather modeling and forecasting, or educational purposes. Previously published in Solar Physics journal, Vol. 275/1-2, 2012. Selected articles in this book are published open access under a CC BY-NC 2.5 license at link.springer.com. For further details, please see the license information in the chapters.

Discusses recent advances and new problems in the exploration of the Sun's interior structure, solar dynamics and dynamo, mechanisms of sunspot and active regions formation, sources of solar irradiance variations and links between the subsurface dynamics, flaring and CME activity. NASA's Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) mission has provided a large amount of new data on solar dynamics and magnetic activities during the rising phase of the current and highly unusual solar cycle. These data are complemented by the continuing SOHO mission and by ground-based observatories that include the GONG helioseismology network and the New Solar Telescope. Also, the observations are supported by realistic numerical simulations on supercomputers. This unprecedented amount of data provides a unique opportunity for multi-instrument investigations that address fundamental problems of the origin of solar magnetic activity at various spatial and temporal scales. This book demonstrates that the synergy of high-resolution multi-wavelength observations and simulations is a key to uncovering the long-standing puzzles of solar magnetism and dynamics. This volume is aimed at researchers and graduate students active in solar physics and space science. Originally published in Solar Physics journal, Vol. 287/1-2, 2013.

It’s a good story: we are made of matter like that we also find in the stars. Essential to our planet’s existence, the Sun—our nearest star––is also the most fascinating object humans have ever adored, literally the difference between day and night. But getting beyond these basic perceptions requires scientific understanding. What, for instance, is the sun made of? Why does it burn so brightly? How long will it last? This book not only answers these questions but also tells the story of how we came to know—not merely behold—the grandest entity in our sky. Leon Golub and Jay M. Pasachoff offer an engaging and informative account of solar science and its history, drawing on centuries of study by solar astronomers who have looked to the Sun not only to learn about our own solar system but also about what lies in the distant wilderness of faintly glimmering stars. They skim along the surface of the Sun, which is decorated with sunspots, discussing these fascinating magnetic aberrations and the roughly eleven-year cycles they abide. They follow seismic waves into the interior of the Sun and its unending nuclear fusion. They show us what is unveiled in solar eclipses and what new views and knowledge our space exploration has afforded us. They brave solar weather, and they trace the arcs of radiation and particles whose effects we can see on earth in phenomena such as the northern and southern lights. Glowing with a wide assortment of astonishing images, this beautifully illustrated guide will delight everyone, from those who know what a coronagraph is to those who simply like to step out on a bright day, close their eyes, and feel the Sun’s warmth upon their skin.

The sun is the source of energy for life on earth and is the strongest modulator of the human physical environment. In fact, the Sun's influence extends throughout the solar system, both through photons, which provide heat, light, and ionization, and through the continuous outflow of a magnetized, supersonic ionized gas known as the solar wind. While the accomplishments of the past decade have answered important questions about the physics of the Sun, the interplanetary medium, and the space environments of Earth and other solar system bodies, they have also highlighted other questions, some of which are long-standing and fundamental. The Sun to the Earthâ€"and Beyond organizes these questions in terms of five challenges that are expected to be the focus of scientific investigations in solar and space physics during the coming decade and beyond.

Table of contents

Our knowledge of the universe has increased tremendously over the last century, and our discoveries are not over - there remain scientific mysteries that the next generation of astronomers and planetary scientists will need to solve. This volume in the Greenwood Guides to the Universe series covers the Sun, and provides readers with the most up-to-date understanding of the current state of scientific knowledge. Scientifically sound, but written with the student in mind, The Sun is an excellent first step for researching the exciting scientific discoveries of the star at the center of our solar system. The Sun discusses all areas of research surrounding the subject, including: Sunspots and the solar surface; the many faces of the solar atmosphere; the solar wind and solar storms; and the long-term climate effects on the earth's atmosphere. The volume includes a glossary and a bibliography of useful resources for learning more about the subject.