Title:

"Seeing" the Solar Corona with Radio Waves




Richard Woo
Caltech/Jet Propulsion Laboratory
Pasadena, CA




Abstract:

Like atmospheric turbulence comprising temperature
inhomogeneities that scatter light waves to produce optical
seeing, electron density structure in the solar corona scatters
radio waves to give rise to radio seeing.  These radio seeing
and propagation effects are observed from Earth when natural
radio sources or spacecraft radio signals pass behind or are
occulted by the corona.  Known as radio occultation
measurements, they have been used to probe the solar atmosphere
for five decades, giving much credence to the saying that one
persons noise is another persons signal.  While conceptually
simple, these perennially appealing observations are diversified
and fragmented in both measurement and results.  In this talk,
we will trace the evolution of these powerful observations to
illustrate how their recent unification has brought fundamental
change to our notions and understanding of small-scale
structures, coronal magnetic topology and the origin and
evolution of the solar wind.