Dr Rebecca Meadowcroft
Position: Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Supervisor: Prof. Valery Nakariakov
Project Title: ACDCSun - A new look at the solar coronal heating problem
Funding: ERC Advanced Grant
My Project
Solar magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) seismology studies oscillations and waves in the solar atmosphere, offering insights into the heating of the Sun's corona and solar wind acceleration. It explores physical mechanisms driving solar processes using observational data, theoretical models, and simulations. The field's applications extend to magnetospheric physics, stellar physics, and controlled fusion. Recent advances, fueled by high-resolution observations from the Solar Dynamics Observatory and Solar Orbiter, enable a more comprehensive study of MHD waves.
Slow magnetoacoustic waves, driven by oscillations in underlying solar layers, serve as a valuable seismological tool. They provide information on the coupling of layers of the solar atmosphere, magnetic field geometry, and the coronal heating function. Time-distance analysis, focusing on parameters like oscillation period and apparent speed, offers critical insights into the solar atmosphere. This project aims to enhance understanding of MHD waves in the solar corona, particularly slow magnetoacoustic waves, aiding in predicting and mitigating potential impacts on Earth.
Publications
- Observation of a propagating slow magnetoacoustic wave in a coronal plasma fan with SDO/AIA and SolO/EUILink opens in a new window Meadowcroft, R.L., Zhong, S., Kolotkov, D.Y., Nakariakov, V.M., MNRAS 527, 5302-5310, 2024. DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stad3506Link opens in a new window
- Diagnostics of the solar coronal plasmas by magnetohydrodynamic waves: magnetohydrodynamic seismologyLink opens in a new window Nakariakov, V.M., Zhong, S., Kolotkov, D.Y., Meadowcroft, R.L., Zhong, Y., Yuan, D., Rev. Modern Plasma Physics 8, 19, 2024, DOI: 10.1007/s41614-024-00160-9Link opens in a new window
- Fine structuring of slow magnetoacoustic wave periods in a solar coronal fanLink opens in a new windowLink opens in a new window, Meadowcroft, R.L., Nakariakov, V.M., MNRAS 536, 3192-3199, 2025, DOI: 10.1093/mnras/stae2739
Recent Presentation
| Event | Date | Contribution |
| Advances in Analysis of Oscillatory Processes Workshop |
March 2025 |
Talk |
| NAM 2025 |
July 2025 |
Talk |
| IAUS 400 |
July 2025 |
Talk |
| IATE, Cordoba, Argentina | August 2025 | Seminar |
| WISA 2025 |
September 2025 |
Talk |
| ROB, Belgium |
December 2025 |
Seminar |
Education
PhD in Physics, The University of Warwick, 2022 - 2026
PhD Title: Slowly Decoding the Solar Corona: Magnetohydrodynamic Seismology with Slow Magnetoacoustic Waves
PhD Funding: Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC)
Teaching Assistant: First-year undergraduate problem classes and lab demonstrations.
BSc MMathPhys in Mathematics and Physics, The University of Warwick, 2015 - 2019
Secondary PGCE in Science, The University of Nottingham, 2019 - 2020
Contact
Email: Rebecca.L.Meadowcroft@warwick.ac.uk
Office: F2.04 (Millburn House)
Address: Department of Physics, University of Warwick, Coventry, CV4 7AL
