The Name of the Project: Structure for the Solar Magnetic Atmosphere (USMA)

Project Identification No.: 1.1.1.2/VIAA/1/16/079

Project Acronym: USMA

The project is implemented within the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Operational Programme ‘Growth and Employment’ 1.1.1 Specific Support Objective ‘Increase the Research and Innovation capacity of Latvian Research Institutions and the Ability to Attract External Funding by Investing in Human Resources and Infrastructure’ 1.1.1.2 within the framework of the measure ‘Support for Postdoctoral Research’ project ‘Support for the Implementation of Postdoctoral Research’, Agreement No. 1.1.1.2/16/I/001.

Project Duration: 1/9/2017–31/8/2020

Project Funding:

Total approved costs are EUR 133,805.99 and they are financed from the following sources:

• European Regional Development Fund funding – EUR 113,734.99, which is 85% of the total eligible costs;
• government funding – EUR 13,380.58, which is 10.0% of the total eligible costs;
• Ventspils University of Applied Sciences funding – EUR 6,690.31, which is 5% of the total eligible costs.

Brief Description and Aim of the Project:
Aim of the project is to develop the skills of young researchers and increase their scientific capacity by providing career opportunities for young researchers  at Ventspils University of Applied Sciences.

The research project will study isolated solar spots as sources of slow solar winds. Its direct task is to construct an isolated Sunspot atmospheric model that would correspond to observations both – in the centimetre range of the electromagnetic spectrum and also in the millimetre range. The 3D structure of the magnetic field of the spots will be studied, as well as a program for further research will be developed to test the model with observations of other solar spots and using Earth-based telescopes and the planned Solar Orbiter space probe.

The project activities will contribute to the identification of slow solar wind sources, which is needed for more accurate and reliable forecasting of space weather, which in turn allows for more effective protection of satellites and power grids from magnetic storms.