Prediction of solar activity and space weather by automated analyses of solar radio and magnetic field observations and simulations. This project will build world-recognised capabilities to forecast space weather events at Earth in time to take protective measures. It involves around the clock automated identification and analysis of specific solar radio bursts, forecasting solar activity that results in transients moving Earth-ward, and simulations to predict when these will reach Earth.
Numerical modelling of the solar atmosphere. This project will develop a complete and realistic model of the magnetic solar activity using computer simulations of the interconnected solar interior and atmosphere. The results of this project will provide a deeper insight into the physical processes behind solar activity phenomena and will help in the development of methods of solar activity prediction.
Seismology of solar and stellar magnetic activity. Seismic techniques for looking inside stars using observations of surface oscillations can be confused by the very surface magnetic fields that produce flares and other activity and that we wish to probe. This project will develop a new ray-based code, SunRay, which will be able to explore active regions taking full account of magnetic effects.