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Breaking: India’s Solar Observation Mission Aditya-L1 Achieves Groundbreaking Success
The Sun, the largest object in our solar system and the source of all life, has been the subject of intense scientific study for centuries. In a significant breakthrough, scientists in India have reported the first substantial result from Aditya-L1, the country’s maiden solar observation mission in space. Launched earlier this year, Aditya-L1 has already begun to unravel the mysteries of the Sun, providing crucial insights into the behavior of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that can have a profound impact on Earth’s weather and communication systems.
Unveiling the Power of Velc
On July 16, the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (Velc), the most critical of the seven scientific instruments on board Aditya-L1, captured data that enabled scientists to estimate the precise time a CME began. This achievement marks a significant milestone in the study of CMEs, massive fireballs that erupt from the Sun’s outermost corona layer and can travel towards Earth at incredible speeds. In fact, a CME can cover the 150 million km distance between the Earth and the Sun in just 15 hours, making it essential to predict their trajectory and timing.
A Lucky Escape
According to Prof. Ramesh, Velc’s Principal Investigator, the CME captured on July 16 originated on the side of the Earth but was deflected and changed direction, heading behind the Sun and sparing our planet from its impact. However, this close call highlights the importance of monitoring solar activity and predicting CMEs to prevent disruptions to our communication systems and power grids.
The Impact of Coronal Mass Ejections
While CMEs rarely pose a direct threat to human life, they can cause chaos on Earth by interfering with the planet’s magnetic field. The most significant impact of CMEs is causing spectacular auroras in regions close to the North and South Poles. However, stronger CMEs can trigger auroras in regions further away, such as London or France, as witnessed in May and October. Furthermore, CMEs can disrupt satellite communications, phone lines, and radio signals, leading to widespread disruptions.
India’s Foray into Solar Research
Aditya-L1, named after the Hindu god of the Sun, has joined an elite group of space-based solar missions, including those of NASA, the European Space Agency (ESA), Japan, and China. From its vantage point in space, Aditya-L1 can continuously observe the Sun, even during eclipses and occultations, providing scientists with a deeper understanding of the Sun’s behavior. Prof. Ramesh highlights that when we observe the Sun from Earth, we see only the photosphere, the surface of the Sun. It’s only during a total solar eclipse that we can see the solar corona, the Sun’s outermost layer.
The Advantage of Velc
India’s coronagraph, Velc, has a slight advantage over its counterpart on the NASA-ESA joint Solar and Heliospheric Observatory. While the latter’s coronagraph is larger, Velc’s size allows it to artificially hide the Sun’s photosphere, providing Aditya-L1 with an uninterrupted view of the corona 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. This enables scientists to precisely estimate the time a CME begins and its direction.
A Look Back at Solar Storms
The most powerful solar storm in recorded history occurred in 1859, known as the Carrington Event, which triggered intense auroral light shows and knocked out telegraph lines across the globe. In 1989, a CME knocked out part of Quebec’s power grid, leaving six million people without power. More recently, solar activity disrupted air traffic control at Swedish airports, leading to travel chaos.
The Future of Solar Research
With Aditya-L1, India has taken a significant step forward in understanding the Sun’s behavior. By combining the findings of Aditya-L1 with those of India’s three ground-based observatories, scientists can gain a deeper understanding of the Sun and its impact on our planet. As Prof. Ramesh emphasizes, by monitoring solar activity and predicting CMEs, we can prevent disruptions to our communication systems and power grids, ensuring a safer and more resilient future.
