How the Solar Dynamics Observatory Revolutionized our Physical Understanding of the Sun

TL;DR

This review summarizes 15 years of solar research using SDO data, highlighting breakthroughs in understanding solar phenomena such as waves, flares, and magnetic processes, significantly advancing solar physics.

Contribution

It provides a comprehensive overview of how SDO data revolutionized our physical understanding of the Sun across multiple phenomena and modeling approaches.

Findings

Enhanced understanding of MHD waves and oscillations.

Development of automated analysis tools for solar data.

Insights into solar flare energetics and magnetic dissipation.

Abstract

We review solar studies using AIA, HMI, and EVE data from the SDO spacecraft that revolutionized our physical understanding of the Sun. The relevant SDO studies cover the entire 15-year lifetime of SDO, from 2010 May 1 to 2025 May 1. The discussed phenomena and their physical interpretations include (in chronological order): (1) MHD Waves and Oscillations (AIA, HMI); (2) Propagating MHD Waves (AIA); (3) Coronal Loop Cross-Sectional Temperatures (AIA); (4) Size Distributions of Solar Flare Parameters (AIA); (5) Spatio-Temporal Evolution and Diffusion (AIA); (6) The Rosner-Tucker-Vaiana (RTV) Scaling Law (AIA); (7) The Fractal-Diffusive Self-Organized Criticality Model (AIA); (8) Automated Temperature and Emission Measure Maps (AIA); (9) Automated Pattern Recognition Codes (AIA); (10) Kelvin-Helmholtz Instability in Reconnetion Outflows (AIA); (11) Hydrodstatics of Coronal Loops (AIA); (12) Magnetic Energy Dissipation (HMI); (13) Global Energetics of Solar Flares (AIA).