Spotlight shines on solar expert

Dr Clare Parnell in front of coronal loops which are created by the Sun

A researcher at St Andrews University has been awarded a top UK prize for her world-leading contributions to the field of solar physics.

Dr Clare Parnell, a lecturer in applied mathematics, won the prestigious Philip Leverhulme Prize.

The £70,000 award has been made in recognition of Dr Parnell's research over the past 16 years.

She has undertaken ground-breaking work into both solar physics and plasma physics.

Philip Leverhulme prizes are awarded to outstanding scholars who have made a substantial international contribution to their particular field and whose future shows great promise.

Science, in particular physics and mathematics, are fascinating subjects that still hold many hidden secrets Dr Clare Parnell Philip Leverhulme Prize winner

One of Dr Parnell's most important pieces of work at St Andrews was to discover an explanation about how the outer atmosphere of the Sun is heated to some 200 times the temperature of its surface.

Professor Alan Cairns, head of the School of Mathematics and Statistics, said: "We are delighted that Clare has been awarded such a highly prestigious prize. It is excellent that all her efforts have been recognised in this way by the Leverhulme Trust."

Dr Parnell said she was keen to spend the prize money on furthering her research in both areas.

'Many questions'

She added: "There are still many major questions that I would like to answer.

"The structure of the magnetic field that dominates the atmosphere of the Sun is extremely complex and continually evolving.

"Understanding the key structures that make up the Sun's magnetic field and how they can transform from one structure to another is essential to answering a whole raft of key problems in solar physics.

"For instance, explaining solar flares and coronal mass ejections, which can knock out satellites, cause power outages here on Earth, and can also be very harmful to astronauts who are outside the Earth's magnetic shield."

Dr Parnell also hopes that more schoolchildren will be inspired by her success.

"Science, in particular physics and mathematics, are fascinating subjects that still hold many hidden secrets," she said.