Speaker
Description
SolFER is a NASA funded DRIVE Science Center whose goal is to explore all
aspects of Solar Flare Energy release. The Center includes 10
institutions within the US as well as international collaborators. Our
goal is a transformative advance in the understanding of explosive
magnetic energy release and energetic particle production in the solar
corona across a range of scales, from major eruptions that
significantly impact the Earth space environment to small events that
may play a role in coronal heating. To accomplish this goal we are
bringing together observers across a wide range of platforms and
theorists and modelers for discussion and collaboration on the key
science issues. Key to the success of such cross-collaboration is the
development of a common language so that direct comparisons between
data and models are possible. I will give an overview of some of the
significant advances that have already been made in the SolFER
collaboration. This progress points to a future in which direct
simulation of energy release and particle acceleration in macro-scale
flare events will be possible. We welcome participation in SolFER by
the international community. Details and meeting times of the key
science groups can be found onthe SolFER website (solfer.umd.edu).
