School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St. Andrews (UK)

Description: The Solar and Magnetospheric Theory Group (SMTG) is part of the Applied Maths Division of the School of Mathematics & Statistics at the University of St Andrews (UK). The group currently consists of 7 permanent staff members (3 Professors, 3 Readers and 1 Royal Society University Research Fellow), 7 Emeritus/honorary staff members, 6 postdoctoral researchers and 12 PhD students. The SMTG’s research combines studies of fundamental physical processes with applications to observed phenomena. The group's current research focuses on flux emergence simulations, coronal seismology and forward modelling, 3D magnetic reconnection, long term global coronal field modelling, auroral particle acceleration, magnetic field extrapolation methods, solar particle acceleration mechanisms and kinetic theory of current sheets. The group is making major advances in all these areas by combining its strength in pure theory with substantial expertise in high-performance computing techniques and in the interpretation of space observations. The physics of magnetic reconnection, MHD waves, magnetic flux transport, flares and particle acceleration are important, not only for understanding the Sun and solar-like stars and their effects on space weather, planetary systems and astrobiology, but also for understanding such diverse astrophysical processes as star formation in giant molecular clouds, the evolution of astrophysical discs around stars, black holes and Active Galactic Nuclei, and the physics of winds and outflows from stellar to extragalactic scales.

The SMTG leads the UKMHD Consortium and hosts the parallel computer used by many UK MHD researchers. It was part of the EU Marie Curie Research and Training Network “SOLAIRE” (see description above). Within the network, the SMTG is responsible for the collaborative package on “Magnetic Reconnection”. The group collaborates actively with many national and international institutions, for example Warwick University (UK), the Universities of Sheffield and Manchester (UK), MSSL/University College London (UK), KU Leuven (Belgium), Tenerife, the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen, the Lockheed Martin Solar Astrophysics Lab (US), Montana State University (US). Finally, the SMTG has CoI status on several satellites (SoHO, Hinode, SDO) and associated scientists status on Proba3.

Role of the team in the project: The group has long experience in studies MHD waves and instabilities in the solar and astrophysical plasmas. The expertise of the group in these fields enables their involvement in many tasks. The group is mainly responsible for the implementation of all tasks. Waves and instabilities in a non-Maxwellian plasma, Statistical models of wave conversion and dissipation. The group will contribute to the final knowledge base by their results achieved and will take part in the development of SOW/SPW monitoring and forecasting system.