Groundbreaking Achievement: NSF Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope Produces its First Magnetic Field Maps of the Sun’s Corona

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) Daniel K. Inouye Solar Telescope, the world’s most powerful solar telescope, operated by the NSF National Solar Observatory (NSO), achieved a major breakthrough in solar physics by successfully producing its first detailed maps of the Sun’s coronal magnetic fields. This milestone, led by NSO Associate Astronomer Dr. Tom Schad, was recently published in Science Advances, and promises to enhance our understanding of the Sun’s atmosphere and how its changing conditions lead to impacts on Earth’s technology-dependent society. The corona, or the Sun’s outer atmosphere, greatly influences solar winds and space weather events like solar flares and coronal mass ejections. However, the magnetic forces that drive these events and the corona are challenging to measure.

3D printed multicore fiber-tip discriminative sensor for magnetic field and temperature measurements

Miniaturized fiber-optic magnetic field sensors have attracted intensive interests due to the superiorities of anti-electromagnetic interference and compactness. Scientist in China developed an ultracompact multicore fiber (MCF) tip probes for magnetic field and temperature discriminative sensing. The size of the whole sensing probes does not exceed the inherent outer diameter of the MCF, which means a significant reduction in the size of multi-parameter sensor. The technique will open new avenues towards the realization of an all-fiber miniaturized multi-parameter sensor.

Research scientist’s “one-of-a-kind” model of the heliosphere wins $824k NASA heliophysics grant

Dr. Federico Fraternale at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH), a part of the University of Alabama System, has been awarded a $824,132 NASA heliophysics grant to develop new global models of the heliosphere that incorporate interstellar neutral atoms that can help reveal the properties of space beyond the farthest reaches of the Sun’s influence.

Astronomers Unveil Strong Magnetic Fields Spiraling at the Edge of Milky Way’s Central Black Hole

A new image from the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration— which includes scientists from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA)— has uncovered strong and organized magnetic fields spiraling from the edge of the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*). Seen in polarized light for the first time, this new view of the monster lurking at the heart of the Milky Way Galaxy has revealed a magnetic field structure strikingly similar to that of the black hole at the center of the M87 galaxy, suggesting that strong magnetic fields may be common to all black holes. This similarity also hints toward a hidden jet in Sgr A*.

A 4D printer for smart materials with magneto-and electro-mechanical properties has been developed

Researchers at Universidad Carlos III de Madrid (UC3M) have created software and hardware for a 4D printer with applications in the biomedical field. In addition to 3D printing, this machine allows for controlling extra functions: programming the material’s response so that shape-changing occurs under external magnetic field, or changes in its electric properties develops under mechanical deformation.

Urban Magnetic Fields Reveal Clues about Energy Efficiency, Pollution

In Journal of Applied Physics, researchers from the United States and Germany present a comparative analysis of urban magnetic fields between two U.S. cities: Berkeley, California, and the Brooklyn borough of New York City. They explore what kinds of information can be extracted using data from magnetic field sensors to understand the working of cities and provide insights that may be crucial for preventative studies.

Science Snapshots From Berkeley Lab

Science Snapshots From Berkeley Lab – Water purification, infant-warming device, cuff-based heart disease monitor, ancient magnetic fields

Best Region For Life on Mars Was Far Below Surface

The most habitable region for life on Mars would have been up to several miles below its surface, likely due to subsurface melting of thick ice sheets fueled by geothermal heat, a Rutgers-led study concludes. The study, published in the journal Science Advances, may help resolve what’s known as the faint young sun paradox – a lingering key question in Mars science.

Graphene expert comments on the creation of an extremely tiny magnetic field detector

“The research group from the University of Basel has recently created an ultracompact superconducting quantum interference device — aka SQUID, where the record miniaturization is achieved by using next-generation materials: bilayer graphene-based van der Waals heterostructures. SQUIDs usually consist of two…

DOE-funded UAH directed plasma research may advance pulsed fusion propulsion systems

A professor at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) has been awarded a one-year, $98,930 grant by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) for plasma research that could advance pulsed fusion propulsion for spacecraft.