Solar atmosphere: Introduction to the solar atmosphere and solar spectrum. Radiative
transfer equation. Radiative transfer in the solar atmosphere. Absorption cross section for
bound-bound processes. Spectral line profiles. Local Thermodynamic Equilibrium (LTE).
Excitation and ionization equilibria. Saha equation. Spectral lines in local thermodynamic
equilibrium. The Eddington-Barbier Relation. The Planck Function. The Gray Atmosphere.
Gray Limb Darkening in the Eddington Approximation. Solar spectroscopy: Spectral lines and
continua. Line broadening. Zeeman and Stark effects. UV and X-ray spectrum of the Sun.
Mechanisms of solar radio emission. Dynamical processes in the solar atmosphere: Solar
photosphere. Solar granulation and supergranulation as an example of convective motion.
Schwarzschild criterion for convective instability. Observations of solar oscillations.
Hydrodynamic equations. Waves. Basic assumptions used in the construction of the
photosphere models. Solar interior and magnetism: Solar interior. Solar dynamo. Solar
rotation. Observations of solar magnetic field. Overview of main solar magnetic activity
phenomena: sunspots, flares, coronal mass ejections. Hydrostatic equilibrium. The basic
equations of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD). Dynamics of coronal magnetic loops and Holes.
Elements of helioseismology. Outer layers of the solar atmosphere: Chromosphere and
spicules. Transition region. UV and X-ray emission of the solar atmosphere. The Sun in
millimeter wavelengths (ALMA). Quiet-Sun corona – observations and models. Coronal holes
and jets. Modelling of the solar photosphere, chromosphere and corona. Non-Local
Thermodynamic Equilibrium (NLTE) methods. Construction of semiempirical models.
Temperature minimum. Heating of the upper solar atmosphere. Solar activity: Observations
of solar activity. Active regions. Structure of sunspots. Quiescent and active prominences.
Solar flares and Coronal Mass Ejections (CME). Eruptions of solar prominences. Flare loops.
Nanoflares and other small scale energetic phenomena in the solar atmosphere. Solar activity
cycles. Activity behavior over the solar cycle. The Sunspot Number and other indices of
activity. Long-term evolution of solar activity. Sun-Earth connections and space weather:
Introduction to Sun-Earth connections. Solar wind. Earth magnetosphere and ionosphere.
Effects of solar activity on Earth atmosphere and magnetosphere. Space weather. Structure
of the heliosphere. Geomagnetic activity and magnetic storms. Geomagnetic indices. Radio
emission of the Sun.
