AI-Driven Solar Physics: Real-Time Simulation of Solar Magnetic Field

Researchers have achieved a remarkable milestone by utilizing artificial intelligence (AI) to replicate the magnetic field in the sun’s upper atmosphere in quasi real-time.

This groundbreaking discovery has been published in Nature Astronomy and holds immense significance in understanding the behavior of sun and its impact on space weather.

Space weather, which is influenced by the solar magnetic field has the ability to harm vital infrastructures including aviation, energy, and space-based technology. Severe space weather phenomena are caused by strong magnetic fields that penetrate the solar surface in solar active regions, especially those close to sunspots.

While the accumulation and release of energy take place in the sun’s corona, current studies are limited to measuring the magnetic field near the surface of the sun.

The Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology in Russia and the University of Graz in Austria utilizes artificial intelligence to successfully combine observational data with a physical force-free magnetic field model.

Real-time simulations of the magnetic field without any external forces were made possible by the team’s simulation of the development of an observed solar active area.

This transformative use of AI in numerical simulations allowed for better incorporation of observational data, significantly reducing computation time to less than 12 hours compared to five days for traditional observation series.

Lead researcher Robert Jarolim emphasized that this AI-driven approach represents a remarkable leap forward, enabling real-time analysis and forecasts of solar activity. We can forecast space weather more accurately and learn more about the behavior of the sun thanks to the computational speed.

By combining the power of AI and solar physics, this research paves the way for enhanced space weather forecasting and reveal new mysteries of sun.