Related papers: Why every observatory needs a disco ball
Debris disks are evidence that stars harbor reservoirs of dust-producing plantesimals on spatial scales similar the solar system. Debris disks present a wide range of sizes and structural features and there is growing evidence that, in some…
The Sun's proximity offers us a unique opportunity to study in detail the physical processes on a star's surface; however, the highly dynamic nature of the stellar surface -- in particular, energetic eruptions such as flares and coronal…
Radio wavelength observations of solar system bodies reveal unique information about them, as they probe to regions inaccessible by nearly all other remote sensing techniques and wavelengths. As such, the SKA will be an important telescope…
Regardless of the physical origin of stellar magnetic fields - fossil or dynamo induced - an inclination angle between the magnetic and rotation axes is very often observed. Absence of observational evidence in this direction in the solar…
The solar activity cycle is a manifestation of the hydromagnetic dynamo working inside our star. The detection of activity cycles in solar-like stars and the study of their properties allow us to put the solar dynamo in perspective,…
Debris disk is a catch-all term that can be used to refer to any component of a planetary system which is not an actual planet. In the Solar System this refers to the asteroids and comets in the Asteroid and Kuiper belts as well as the dust…
Ground-based solar observations provide key contextual data (i.e., the 'big picture') to produce a complete description of the only astrosphere we can study in situ: our Sun's heliosphere. The next decade will see the beginning of…
Optical interferometry provides us with a unique opportunity to improve our understanding of stellar structure and evolution. Through direct observation of rotationally distorted photospheres at sub-milliarcsecond scales, we are now able to…
Exoplanet imaging using the solar gravitational lens is an enticing prospect. The fundamental physical properties of the lens, including its angular resolution and light amplification, promise exceptional capabilities. These expectations,…
We explore new opportunities for solar physics that could be realized by future missions providing sustained observations from vantage points away from the Sun-Earth line. These include observations from the far side of the Sun, at high…
Polar coronal plumes seen during solar eclipses can now be studied with space-borne telescopes and spectrometers. We briefly discuss such observations from space with a view to understanding their plasma characteristics. Using these…
The POLAR Investigation of the Sun (POLARIS) mission uses a combination of a gravity assist and solar sail propulsion to place a spacecraft in a 0.48 AU circular orbit around the Sun with an inclination of 75 degrees with respect to solar…
The Virtual Observatory (VO) will revolutionise the way we do Astronomy, by allowing easy access to all astronomical data and by making the handling and analysis of datasets at various locations across the globe much simpler and faster. I…
This paper describes some of the astronomical effects that could be important for understanding the ice ages, historic climate changes and the recent temperature increase. These include changes in the sun's luminosity, periodic changes in…
The first three quarters of this paper consists of a pedagogical review of neutrino oscillations, including vacuum oscillations, constant density matter oscillations and variable density matter oscillations. We then address the question of…
The solar-stellar connection provides a unique framework for understanding magnetic activity and atmospheric heating across a broad spectrum of stars. Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) of NASA, equipped with the Helioseismic and Magnetic…
The Sun may copiously produce hypothetical light particles such as axions or dark photons, a scenario which can be experimentally probed with so-called helioscopes. Here we investigate the impact of the angular and spectral distribution of…
The interface between the bright solar surface and the million-degree corona continues to hold the key to many unsolved problems in solar physics. Advances in instrumentation now allow us to observe the dynamic structures of the solar…
Debris disks are tenuous, dust-dominated disks commonly observed around stars over a wide range of ages. Those around main sequence stars are analogous to the Solar System's Kuiper Belt and Zodiacal light. The dust in debris disks is…
We review the state of the art of three dimensional numerical simulations of solar and stellar dynamos. We summarize fundamental constraints of numerical modelling and the techniques to alleviate these restrictions. Brief summary of the…