Solar Flares, Magnetic Explosions, and their Societal Impact

PAS is pleased to host Dr. Georgios Chintzoglou, Sr. Research Scientist, Lockheed Martin Solar and Astrophysics Lab, and Adjunct Professor of Astronomy, Foothill College. Dr. Chintzoglou will provide a historical overview of how our understanding of solar activity has progressed, from early ground-based observations to modern space missions developed and operating at Lockheed Martin.

Understanding Our Nearest Star: Solar Flares, Magnetic Explosions, and their Societal Impact
While our nearest star, the Sun, provides the conditions necessary for life on Earth, it also produces the most energetic events in the solar system. Solar flares release enormous amounts of energy, including intense and harmful X-ray radiation, and some eruptions are powerful enough to spew vast quantities of solar material into interplanetary space, occasionally impacting Earth and other planets. In extreme cases, these events can be catastrophic: beyond producing spectacular auroral displays – such as those visible from the Bay Area in May 2024 – they can damage commercial and military satellites, disrupt power grids, and pose serious risks to astronauts engaged in space exploration.

About Our Speaker
Georgios Chintzoglou received his PhD at George Mason University. He is a Principal Investigator of NASA-funded programs and Sr. Research Scientist at Lockheed Martin Solar & Astrophysics Lab. His research centers on the study of the Sun as an astrophysical object. In particular, he is interested in the physics of solar magnetism, solar active region
evolution and activity, magnetic flux emergence and decay, and initiation of solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections from both a theoretical and experimental perspective. He has published more than 30 papers on Solar astrophysics research and given more than 20 invited talks worldwide. He enjoys teaching Astronomy at Foothill College, doing public outreach and continues to mentor students at all levels, as well as public service in professional associations as board member (American Astronomical Society’s Solar Physics Division, and the International Astronomical Union’s Division E2 on Solar Activity).