Research

Speaker: Phil Judge

Sometimes in a mature research field, there is a need to step back and re-assess some fundamental facts. I will discuss the "coronal heating problem'' from its recognition in 1943 to the present day, from the viewpoint of a naive student of physics keen to understand why this has, apparently, not yet been solved. The wide-ranging scope will include our motivations, our philosophical approaches, methodologies, challenges, and "solutions'' in the context of the "business," politics and pressures facing new researchers in this area. The importance of choosing interesting yet tractable questions based firmly upon the basic physics of magnetized fluids and plasmas is emphasized, and some weaknesses in modern research methods are identified. Some more productive approaches are advocated for, highlighting the necessity of seeking and publishing negative results. Some examples of model refutation through recent work done during a sabbatical at the University of Bern will be presented.