NASA chooses Boulder scientist for solar research project

BOULDER —  Holly Gilbert, a scientist with National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, is the principal investigator for solar study recently given the green light from NASA.

“The Chromospheric Magnetism Explorer (CMEx) mission would  attempt to understand the magnetic nature of solar eruptions and identify the magnetic sources of the solar wind,” according to a NASA news release. “CMEx proposes to obtain the first continuous observations of the solar magnetic field in the chromosphere – the layer of solar atmosphere directly above the photosphere or visible surface of the Sun. These observations would improve our understanding of how the magnetic field on the Sun’s surface connects to the interplanetary magnetic field.”

The CMEx mission was one of four new solar projects NASA is funding.

“These four mission concept studies were selected because they address compelling science questions and could greatly impact the field of heliophysics,” NASA associate administrator for science Nicky Fox said in the release. “These mission proposals are exciting because they build upon and complement the science of our current mission fleet, have the potential for broad impact and could provide new and deeper insight into the solar atmosphere and space weather.”

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