Lisa Upton, Southwest Research Institute – Solar Cycle 25 and NASA’s Heliophysics Big Year
Solar Cycle 25 and NASA’s Heliophysics Big Year
THE CLASSROOM WILL BE CLOSED FOR THIS EVENT
This lecture will be hosted as a Webinar on Zoom as well as a live stream on our YouTube channel. We encourage you to participate, ask questions, and be a part of the live meeting.
Lisa Upton of the Southwest Research Institute returns to the Westport Astronomical Society’s Online Science Lecture Series. Check out her April 2021 lecture The Sun, Space Weather, and the Solar Activity Cycle with WAS in our YouTube archives.
The Solar Cycle 25 maximum is quickly approaching and NASA’s Heliophysics Big Year (HBY) is well underway! Activity on our Sun has been ramping up over the last three years. The peak of the solar cycle not only marks a time of great activity on the sun but also a celebration of solar science. The HBY began with the annular eclipse of October 2023, includes the total solar eclipse of 2024, and culminates with Parker Solar Probe’s closest approach to the Sun in December 2024.
In this lecture, I will provide a general introduction to the Sun and an update on the progress of Solar Cycle 25. I will discuss how the solar cycle compares to the prediction I shared with you in 2021 with the current state of solar activity and what you can expect from the Sun over the next few years. Finally, I will share with you some of the exciting events to look forward to during the rest of the HBY and how you can take part in this great celebration of our star, the Sun.
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Dr. Upton is an accomplished scientist who has made significant contributions to our understanding of the Sun. She is currently a Lead Scientist at Southwest Research Institute in Boulder, Colorado. She received her Ph.D. in Physics from Vanderbilt University in 2014, where she worked on developing a cutting-edge model of the evolution of the Sun’s photospheric magnetic field. Her research interests include understanding the solar dynamo, solar cycle variability, and the impact on the Sun-Earth environment. In particular, she is interested in observing solar flows and active regions, as well as modeling magnetic flux transport on the Sun. In particular, she is interested in advancing Sun-Earth system research by bridging the solar interior and the solar atmosphere with her model in order to improve space weather and space climate predictions.
Dr. Upton is a dedicated researcher who is passionate about her work. She has published over 40 papers in peer-reviewed journals, is included in over 70 presentation abstracts, and has served on numerous national and international committees. She is a member of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) and the Solar Physics Division of the AAS. Lisa also served as co-chair of the NASA/NOAA Solar Cycle 25 Prediction Panel.
In addition to her research, Dr. Upton is also a passionate science educator. She uses her website, solarcyclescience.com, as a platform to share her knowledge about the Sun and its impact on our planet with the general public and scientists alike. She has given numerous talks to the public about solar physics. She has mentored several undergraduates, graduate students, and postdocs. She is an inspiration to young scientists and a role model for women in STEM.
