Title:  The Dynamics of Magnetized Plasma in the Solar Interior and 
        Atmosphere



Aimee Norton 
High Altitude Observatory, Boulder,CO


Abstract:

Observations of solar surface magnetism can advance our
understanding of two fundamental (and puzzling) processes in
solar physics:  the dynamo and the atmospheric temperature
inversion.  The 11-year sunspot cycle is thought to be caused by
a dynamo acting in the solar interior.  Although dynamo theory
has advanced dramatically in recent years, many aspects of the
large-scale magnetic fields in the interior remain unknown.
Analysis of sunspot data over several solar cycles can partially
recover the dynamics of the interior toroidal field.  New theory
predicts an instability resulting in a tipping of the toroidal
bands with respect to the equatorial plane.  I summarize our
efforts to observationally identify this tipping.

The exact processes responsible for heating the solar corona to
2 million degrees remain a mystery.  MHD waves, generated by the
interactions of magnetic fields with the motions of solar
plasma, are likely candidates for transporting and depositing
heat in the corona.  Time series analysis of magnetic fields
observed in the solar photosphere show a mix of Alfvenic and
magneto-acoustic waves are present as well as field-aligned
velocities.  Both the local and the global studies of solar
magnetism will benefit from new high-resolution vector
polarimetric solar instrumentation available in the very near
future.