jiong

Dr. Jiong Qiu obtained Phd in astrophysics at Nanjing University, China. She joined MSU in 2005. Her research is focused on understanding how energy in the Sun's magnetic field is released and converted into heat and motion of plasmas and particles. Central to this process is a mechanism called magnetic reconnection. It occurs at tiny scales, yet manages to reorder the global magnetic field and release free magnetic energy. Whereas energy release is "visible" in solar flares and coronal mass ejections, magnetic reconnection in astrophysical environment is not measurable directly. Her primary interest is in finding ways to characterize properties of magnetic reconnection. She has worked with a variety of astronomical data illustrating the dynamic atmosphere of the Sun viewed in optical, ultraviolet, and X-ray wavelengths, from a range of space telescopes including the Solar Dynamics Observatory, and the Parker Solar Probe.