Infinite Horizons: July 16th “New Views of the Sun from the Solar Orbiter Mission”
Speaker: Dr. Frédéric Auchère (University of Paris-Sud, France)
4pm, Beijing time
Watch it on Zoom
We have the pleasure to host the next Infinite Horizons' seminar on July 16th, 2025. Our host will be Dr. Frédéric Auchère from University of Paris-Sud. Dr. Auchère will talk about New Views of the Sun from the Solar Orbiter Mission.
Seminar's abstract:
The ESA/NASA Solar Orbiter mission, launched in February 2020, continues to deliver unprecedented high-resolution observations of the Sun and its dynamic atmosphere. This presentation highlights recent findings from two of Solar Orbiter's key remote sensing instruments: the Extreme Ultraviolet Imager (EUI) and the Spectral Imaging of the Coronal Environment (SPICE). EUI provides high-cadence, high-resolution imaging of the solar atmosphere in extreme ultraviolet wavelengths, capturing fine-scale structures such as coronal bright points, nano jets, and small-scale eruptions with exceptional clarity. Complementing EUI, SPICE offers spectrally resolved data across a range of emission lines formed at different temperatures, enabling the measurement of plasma velocities and composition from the chromosphere to the corona.
We present new observations revealing dynamic interactions between small-scale magnetic features and their role in coronal heating and solar wind acceleration. In particular, coordinated observations between EUI and SPICE have allowed the identification and characterization of transition region up flows and their connection to overlying coronal structures. These findings are further contextualized with magnetic field extrapolations and comparisons with in situ data during close perihelion passages. The synergy between high-resolution imaging and spectroscopy is providing critical insights into fundamental processes such as energy transfer, wave propagation, and plasma dynamics in the solar atmosphere. We demonstrate the transformative potential of Solar Orbiter's unique vantage points and instrumentation for advancing our understanding of solar activity and its heliospheric impact.
Zoom ID: 838 2842 3026
(Our Infinite Horizons seminars are usually host on the third Wednesday of the month)
About the speaker:
Dr. Frédéric Auchère's main research interests are the physics of the corona and the solar wind. After completing his PhD at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, and postdoctoral fellowships in the United States and in France, Auchère rose to lead key roles in European solar missions. He is currently PI and co-PI of respectively the SPICE and EUI instruments on board ESA's Solar Orbiter spacecraft. He is actively involved in the development of the next generation of space solar instruments.
