[Previous] | [Session 34] | [Next]
N. E. Hurlburt (Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Laboratory)
Theoretical and numerical models of solar magnetoconvection indicate that much of the essential physics involved escapes detection today. Magnetic brightpoints and their interaction with granulation is at the limit of current telescope resolution. Understanding the details of sunspot formation and structure depends upon high resolution and stable movies of the vector magnetic field and flow velocities that are currently unattainable. While the physics of the fine-scale magnetoconvection may be invisible to us, their possible consequences include irradiance variations and the structuring and heating of the corona. The state of recent mangetoconvection studies will be presented to shed light on what new telescopes may be able to find. This work has been supported by NASA through grant NAG5-7376 and Lockheed Martin Independent Research Funds.
The author(s) of this abstract have provided an email address for comments about the abstract: hurlburt@lmsal.com
[Previous] | [Session 34] | [Next]
Bulletin of the American Astronomical Society, 34
© 2002. The American Astronomical Soceity.