Project Details
Projekt
Experimental Simulation of Solar Flares
Applicant
Professor Dr. Henning Soltwisch
Subject Area
Astrophysics and Astronomy
Term
from 2008 to 2015
Project identifier
Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 60352348
Hot, magnetized plasma configurations often exhibit a very complex dynamical behavior due to free energy released from the magnetic field. One well-known example are Solar prominences which, after a long-lasting quasi-stationary phase, often result in spectacular eruptions like Coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that come along with intricate three-dimensional and time-dependent magnetic fields and plasma flow velocities close to the Alfvén velocity. The aim of this project is to achieve a better understanding of such events by studying the stability and dynamical behavior of a class of model configurations. To this end, experiments on a laboratory plasma discharge and numerical MHD simulations will be carried out in a concerted manner. This combined strategy will then open the possibility to investigate the influence of parameters like the initial magnetic field geometry on magnetic stability and on properties of the resulting dynamics, and, in turn, to draw conclusions for the interpretation of Solar observations.
DFG Programme
Research Units
