Projects
Solar Filaments: `Shake, Rattle & Roll' KU Leuven
Solar filaments, the spectacular cloud-like and multi-threaded condensations in the million degree solar atmosphere, demonstrate so-called `large amplitude oscillations' (or LAOs): they are seen to sway back and forth with speeds exceeding 10-20 km/s. Recently, solar physicists published the first systematic catalog of filament oscillations that occurred within a half year period of the previous solar maximum: almost 200 events could be ...
Observations and Modeling of the Solar wind Kinetics KU Leuven
Observations are crucial for expanding our knowledge of solar wind physics, but their impact can be dramatically enhanced if they are complemented by theoretical and numerical modelling built on the base of the plasma conditions encountered by satellites. The aim of this work is to produce numerical support for the interpretation, but also anticipation, of in situ measurements carried out in the inner heliosphere. Our focus is on the ...
Energetics of oscillating loops in simulations of the solar atmosphere KU Leuven
The Sun and its atmosphere have been extensively studied ever since the development of modern Astrophysics, since they are the source of major space-weather events that impact life on Earth. One of the open questions of solar physics is what sustains the multimillion degree temperature of the solar corona, which is the upper layer of the solar atmosphere. Recent observations have shifted the focus to the interaction between different layers ...
Dynamics of the solar corona in the era of data intensive observations KU Leuven
The aim of this proposal is to establish close research collaboration between several leading European and South American research teams specialising in solar physics; and gain new, paradigm-changing knowledge about dynamic processes in the solar atmosphere, through the systematic research staff and knowledge exchange and joint research efforts exploiting existing data and facilities, including innovative data analysis techniques based on the ...
Identification of electrically active defects in materials for solar cells Ghent University
The purpose of this project is to identify defects in the absorber layer of solar cells, which limit the efficiency of the cells. The research focuses on thin film solar cells, mainly with CuIn(1-x)Ga(x)Se(2) absorber. Defects in solar cells and absorber bulk materials are characterized electrically, optically and structurally. The results of this reseach help directing the optimization of solar cells of this type.
Improving polymer/ZnO hybrid solar cells through optimization of charge carrier transport and energy-band engineering Hasselt University
Smart Glazing for Dynamic Solar Energy Control KU Leuven
Nanomaterials are key elements for smart materials of the future. In general, a smart material responds to an environmental stimulus by a dynamic and reversible change of its properties. Thermochromic smart materials reversibly change their optical properties following a variation of the ambient temperature. For many solar applications, thermochromic materials regulate the transmission of radiant energy based on ambient temperature. Many ...
Understanding and modeling the solar wind: challenges, limitations and solutions towards better predictions KU Leuven
One of the biggest challenges in current space weather research is to predict the characteristics that the high speed solar wind streams will have when arriving at the Earth (or at other planets) based on properties of their source, the coronal holes observed at the Sun. The innovative simulation tool EUHFORIA (EUropean Heliospheric FORecasting Information Asset, Pomoell and Poedts, 2018) is a new heliospheric 3D MHD model that has been ...
The standard solar flare model: reloaded! KU Leuven
Solar flares represent the most energetic explosions in our heliosphere and they emit copious amounts of electromagnetic radiation. The standard solar flare model in solar and high energy astrophysics textbooks, is a cartoon of all physical ingredients: magnetic fields that change connectivity, plasma dynamics, charged particle acceleration, and both thermal and non-thermal (e.g. bremsstrahlung) radiative processes. While these ingredients ...