Researchers from the Center for Space Weather (CSW), Shandong University at Weihai and the Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR), University of Alabama in Huntsville published their latest research results entitled “Coalescence of Macroscopic Magnetic Islands and Electron Acceleration from STEREO Observation” in Physical Review X (PRX) recently.
PRX is an online-only, fully open access journal launched by the American Physical Society in 2011. It is a highly selective peer-reviewed journal that aims to publish, as timely as possible, the best original research papers from all areas of pure, applied, and interdisciplinary physics. The article presents the FIRST observation of the coalescence of magnetic islands and associated electron acceleration, a significant result for our understanding of electron acceleration during solar eruption. Upon acceptance of the article, a story accounting for the results was immediately reported by the prestigious newspaperChina Science Daily on May 16, which was also posted on the website of National Natural Science Foundation of China on the same day.
According to scientific predictions by solar physicists, the level of solar activities, in other words, the number and strength of solar eruptions, keeps rising since 2010, and will reach a maximum in the following year. These eruptions are capable of disturbing the near-Earth space environment by releasing an astonishing amount of magnetized plasmas, energetic particles and abruptly-enhanced electro-magnetic radiations. This may cause catastrophic space weather effects, including satellite disruption, communication problems, and power fluctuations. In extreme cases some satellites and electric power grids may be destroyed.
According to thePrevention Regulations of Meteorological Disasterreleased by the State Council of China on 1st April 2010, space weather hazardous event has been listed as one of the natural disasters together with rainstorms, typhoons, and dust storms etc.
It is an important task in space weather studies to understand and forecast the acceleration and propagation of energetic particles. Theoretical studies indicate that magnetic-island coalescence provides a natural site for efficient electron acceleration. Supported by NNSFC (Natural National Science Foundation of China) and the 973 program, Hong-Qiang Song, Yao Chen and co-workers from CSW and Gang Li from CSPAR found the first ever observational evidence of macroscopic magnetic-island coalescence behind a CME eruption and the associated electron acceleration with the STEREO data.
The CSW at Shandong University was founded in 2007, and is one of the newly-developed space physics branches in China. After its initial rapid development, CSW has grown into a dynamic and outstanding research group with ~ 10 faculties. The group members obtained several prestigious awards including the Sunanda and Santimay BASU-early career award presented by the AGU-SPA division, the Youth Award in Science and Technology of Shandong Province, and the Fu Min Xing Lu Labor Award of Shandong Province. They are also awarded funding for more than ten research projects from the NNSFC, published nearly 30 papers in top journals like the Astrophysical Journal, Journal of Geophysical Research, Astronomy and Astrophysics, and Solar Physics, and presented more than 10 invited talks in international academic conferences. CSW has already been recognized by both the Chinese and international space physics community.
Written by: Song Hongqiang
Edited by: Lawrence Phillips, Jing Zizhao
Source: SDU at Weihai,www.view.sdu.edu.cn