Aditya-L1 unveils new insights into coronal mass ejections on the Sun
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India’s first solar observatory, Aditya-L1, has uncovered groundbreaking information about Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) - massive eruptions of solar plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun's outer atmosphere.
The findings, published in The Astrophysical Journal Letters, shed new light on the Sun's corona and its influence on space weather.
Launched on September 2, 2023, Aditya-L1 entered its halo orbit around the Sun-Earth Lagrange Point (L1), approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, in January 2024. From this vantage point, the spacecraft has been conducting detailed observations of solar activity.
On July 16, 2024, researchers used the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) aboard Aditya-L1 to monitor a CME event that coincided with a powerful solar flare. This instrument enabled the team to study the Sun’s corona in green light at a wavelength of 530.3 nanometers, emitted by iron atoms heated to over a million degrees Celsius.
During the CME, scientists observed "coronal dimming," where brightness in a specific area of the corona decreased by about 50% due to the ejection of solar material. This phenomenon lasted for around six hours, offering insights into the Sun’s dynamic behavior.
The CME caused a 30% increase in temperature in the surrounding region and heightened turbulence, with chaotic plasma motions measured at a speed of 24.87 km/s. These observations reflect the Sun’s intensified magnetic activity during such events.
Doppler velocity measurements showed the ejected plasma was redshifted, moving away from the observer at 10 km/s. This revealed that the CME was deflected by the Sun’s magnetic field, a critical factor in determining its trajectory through the solar system and its potential impact on Earth and other celestial bodies.
The Sun’s corona is a region far hotter than its surface. By providing detailed data on solar activity, the mission contributes significantly to predicting and mitigating the effects of solar eruptions on Earth and beyond.
