The Sun has been the subject of human wonder and scrutiny since the dawn of civilisation. This intense, continuing interest arises first of all from the fact that the Sun is the nearest star. It plays an important role in many processes widely ranging in space and time scales, from the global evolution of the whole solar planetary system and environments of particular planets, to the short-time elementary processes on the micro-level of separate particles and the electromagnetic fields. The Sun sustains the life on Earth and impacts our technological civilization.

Besides, the Sun appears as a unique plasma physics laboratory of an astrophysical scale. High energy and large-scale processes realized there can not be easily reproduced in usual labs. Unsolved problems of the solar physics stimulate progress in the fundamental science, as well as in the technological and engineering branches.

The main two aspects of the solar science which represent the focus area for the modern and future research effort are the following:

• Understanding of the physical mechanisms of the solar dynamics and magnetism and determination of ways by which the energy generated in the Sun's core is released into space.
  
  Magnetic field plays here the key role. It gives the origin of solar active regions; it controls the dynamics of solar plasma, it structuralizes the solar atmosphere, and finally, it channels the energy from the convection zone and photosphere towards the upper solar atmosphere. Progress in answering the existing questions related to the dynamic Sun, requires further detailed study of interaction of the solar plasmas and magnetic field. By this, theoretical analysis and numeric modeling of the fundamental physical processes underlying the dynamic phenomena on the Sun should be combined with observations providing a resolution sufficient to observe scales and time intervals characteristic to these processes.
  
  
• Understanding and prediction of the geospheric and biospheric effects of the Sun.
  
  This supposes further study of the solar activity phenomena and their manifestation in the heliosphere and the Near-Earth Space.

 

Theoretical investigations at IWF include both analytic approaches and numeric simulations aimed to quantify the complex interaction between the magnetic field and plasmas at the surface and the external atmosphere of the Sun. IWF concentrates on investigations of evolutionary, energetic and wave aspects of the solar magnetic loops and filaments. Significant attention is paid to the role of partial ionization of plasma in the solar photosphere, chromosphere, and material of prominences, which is taken into account in a physically correct self-consistent way. The purpose of the performed theoretical study is the interpretation of observations, concerning the formation, dynamics, radiation and flaring phenomena in solar magnetic loops and prominences, as well as the understanding of their relation to the coronal eruptions and CMEs. Under a special treatment are waves, dynamic, and energy release processes in the current-carrying plasmas in the presence of bulk motions, which cause significant structuring of the solar atmosphere and heliosphere.

Among the main directions of theoretical research performed at IWF are:

• Development of models and interpretation of observations, concerning plasma dynamics and energy release processes in the solar coronal magnetic loops
• Analysis of the coherent radiation mechanisms in the coronal magnetic loops
• Theoretical modelling and numeric simulation of dynamic processes in the solar partially ionized plasmas (photosphere, chromosphere, prominences)
• Development of plasma kinetic models of a 3D solar (stellar) corona and heliosphere
• Comparative study of evolutionary, energetic and radiative aspects of solar magnetic loops and the Io-Jupiter flux tube
• Study of the evolution of the solar radiation and particle environment
• Interdisciplinary aspects of solar physics and theoretical plasma physic

 

A solar glossary is found at Stanford Solar Center and the Space Environment Center.