Solar Microwave Imaging Spectroscopy and Electron Acceleration

Gary, Dale

'Solar Microwave Imaging Spectroscopy & Electron Acceleration'

AST-9987366

The Owens Valley Solar Array radio telescope will provide a unique set of multifrequency microwave imaging observations of flares and active regions during the upcoming solar maximum period. The facility will be upgraded to accommodate additional baselines that will improve the spatial resolution of solar observations by up to a factor of three. During the next solar maximum period two primary scientific goals will be pursued: (1) development of three-dimensional imaging techniques to determine the emission source vs. height structure of transient structures in the solar atmosphere; and (2) a detailed investigation of the acceleration of high-energy particles due to magnetic field reconnection events. The latter investigation will provide critical radio frequency ground-based support for the NASA High-Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (HESSI) X-ray observations of the active Sun.

Funding for this project was provided by the NSF programs for Stellar Astronomy & Astrophysics (AST/SAA) and Atmospheric Sciences Solar-Terrestrial Research (ATM/STR).

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