Dunn Solar Telescope observations in support of the Parker Solar Probe Perihelia

We propose to conduct ground-based observations using the Dunn Solar Telescope with optical and infrared instruments to support NASA's Parker Probe perihelia passages. Our observations will provide diagnostics of the solar photosphere, chromosphere and corona and a baseline for activity in the solar atmosphere for 20 days before and after each of the four perihelion passages: 1 September 2019, 29 January 2020, 07 Jun...

Close encounter with comet 46P/Wirtanen: X-ray tomography of the coma

In the 1990's it was discovered the comets emit X-rays. Our group lead the modeling of the first higher resolution X-ray spectra and we are continuing these studies using observations with Chandra/ACIS and HST/WFC3 to characterize the neutral gas and plasma around comet 46P/Wirtanen. We will use the comet s historic close approach to Earth as a natural laboratory to study charge exchange emission processes. First, we will combi...