University of St Andrews, UK
Aim of Meeting
We are in an unprecedented era in solar physics research with several space- and ground-based observatories as well as sophisticated computer modelling revolutionising our understanding of our closest star, the Sun. In particular, the SOHO spacecraft has been observing the Sun's activity cycle from its L1 vantage point since 1996, covering the activity minimum (1996), its ascending phase, maximum (2000/2001) and (currently) descending phase.
One of the three principle scientific objectives the SOHO mission is the study of the heating mechanisms of the solar corona.
The time is now right for a focused SOHO Workshop dedicated to the topic of coronal heating. What insights have SOHO and other high resolution observatories (Yohkoh, TRACE and RHESSI) provided us with in regard to the physics of heating processes operating in this tenuous plasma environment? Are we any closer to unambiguously identifying a specific energy release mechanism in a given coronal feature? Are modelling efforts sufficiently advanced to deal with the observational detail? What lessons have we learnt from SOHO that can be employed to tackle this issue with planned future missions? This SOHO workshop is a timely event as:
- Numerous new observational results are challenging our previously held ideas on the origin of coronal heating.
- Coronal heating is being tackled internationally through both theoretical modelling and observational data analysis.
- The two main strands of solar physics research - theory and observations - despite looking to the other for inspiration, tend to remain distinct. A deeper synthesis of these fundamental viewpoints is required if our understanding of coronal heating physics is to progress.
SOHO15 will be a forum for the discussion of theoretical progress in the light of the latest observational advances (and vice versa). Also, the workshop be looking towards preparing participants for the "next generation" missions that will be arriving in the not-to-distant future (in particular Solar-B, STEREO, SDO and Solar Orbiter). Participants will be encouraged to assess their contribution to the workshop programme with regard to the capabilities of future solar instrumentation.
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