Aditya-L1: Understanding Solar Storms

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Solar storms are powerful eruptions of energy from the Sun that can disrupt Earth’s magnetic field and cause damage to satellites and power grids. Aditya-L1 is a spacecraft launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in 2023 to study the Sun and its effects on Earth.

Aditya-L1 is positioned at the Lagrange point L1, which is a point in space that is located between the Sun and Earth. This location allows Aditya-L1 to have a constant view of the Sun without being blocked by Earth.

Aditya-L1 is equipped with a number of instruments that will be used to study the Sun, including:

  • A Visible Emission Line Spectrograph (VELS): This instrument will be used to study the Sun’s atmosphere and to measure the composition of its gases.
  • A Coronal Mass Ejection Imager (CMEI): This instrument will be used to study coronal mass ejections (CMEs), which are large expulsions of plasma from the Sun’s corona.
  • A Solar Wind Plasma Analyser (SWAP): This instrument will be used to study the solar wind, which is a stream of charged particles that flows from the Sun.
  • A Solar X-ray Monitor (SXR): This instrument will be used to study the Sun’s X-ray emissions.

The data collected by Aditya-L1 will help scientists to better understand the Sun and its effects on Earth. This information will be used to develop ways to protect Earth from solar storms.

Here are some of the specific scientific objectives of Aditya-L1:

  • To study the Sun’s atmosphere and to measure the composition of its gases.
  • To study coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and to predict their arrival at Earth.
  • To study the solar wind and its effects on Earth’s atmosphere and magnetic field.
  • To study the Sun’s X-ray emissions and to understand their role in space weather.

The Aditya-L1 mission is a significant step forward in India’s solar research program. It will help scientists to better understand the Sun and its effects on Earth, and it will pave the way for future solar missions.

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