The beauty of my research is that we better understand the Sun – our closest star. By studying Type III solar bursts, we learn more about how stars work and can even predict space weather. Space weather has a direct impact on Earth - just one solar flare can disrupt telecommunications, including GPS, radar, and aircraft communication.
I work at the Radboud Radio Lab and LIRA, Paris Observatory. The radio signals I study come from the Solar Orbiter, a spacecraft orbiting the Sun. From these signals, we aim to identify Type III solar radio bursts to create an extensive Type III catalog. Computer algorithms cannot reliably recognize fainter solar bursts, but humans can. That's why I need many volunteers for my citizen science project. Volunteers are provided with all the information needed to identify Type III solar radio bursts, and they can also ask me questions. It’s a highly interactive process.
We will use this catalog to investigate why the Sun’s outer layer is much hotter than its surface and to study the periodicity of the bursts along the solar cycle. We’ll also use it to train an algorithm that will automatically detect Type III solar radio bursts in the future.
What I love about the citizen science project is communicating science: making all the knowledge I've had in my head for years simple enough to explain. I want to show people the beauty of science, just as a physics teacher once did for me. Science isn't distant or inaccessible – everyone can participate!"
Want to help with Katerina's research? Visit the platform Solar Radio Burst Tracker to learn more.