Overview
The Whole Sun is a seven-year project funded by the European Research Council (ERC) under the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme (Grant Agreement No 810218). The project is headed by a consortium comprising five European institutions including the Commissariat for Atomic Energy and Alternative Energies (CEA) in France, the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Germany, the University of Ioannina in Greece, the University of Oslo in Norway, and the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) in Spain.
The Whole Sun project aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the Sun's dynamics and magnetism by linking the research on its interior, surface layers and atmosphere. The project seeks to answer fundamental questions about the generation of the solar magnetic field, the origin of solar activity cycles, and the mechanisms behind violent eruptions. By combining advanced computational models with observational data from ground observatories (like the two IAC Observatories on the Canary Islands) and space missions like Solar Orbiter, the project aims to advance our understanding of the Sun's behavior and its impact on Earth's magnetosphere and society.
Within the synergetic framework of this grant, regular meetings, for members of the ERC Whole Sun project and associates, are organized to foster collaborations and collectively pursue The Whole Sun´s objectives. In 2024, a second meeting is scheduled to take place at the Instituto de Astrofísica de Canarias (IAC) in Tenerife from October 21st to October 25th, facilitating further cooperation among the consortium members.