Solar Irradiance ObservationsSolar Irradiance Observationswith LYRA on PROBA2with LYRA on PROBA2

I. E. Dammasch, M. Dominique, J.-F. HochedezI. E. Dammasch, M. Dominique, J.-F. Hochedez& the LYRA Team& the LYRA Team

Xth Hvar Astrophysical ColloquiumHvar, Croatia, 6-10 September 2010

LYRAthe Large-Yield Radiometer onboard PROBA2

• Royal Observatory of Belgium (Brussels, B)Principal Investigator, overall design, onboard software specification, science operations

• PMOD/WRC (Davos, CH)Lead Co-Investigator, overall design and manufacturing

• Centre Spatial de Liège (B)Lead institute, project management, filters

• IMOMEC (Hasselt, B)Diamond detectors

• Max-Planck-Institut für Sonnensystemforschung (Lindau, D)calibration

• science Co-Is: BISA (Brussels, B), LPC2E (Orléans, F)…

LYRA highlights

LYRA highlights

4 spectral channels covering a wide emission temperature range

Redundancy (3 units) gathering three types of detectors Rad-hard, solar-blind diamond UV sensors (PIN and MSM) AXUV Si photodiodes

2 calibration LEDs per detector (λ = 465 nm and 390 nm) High cadence (up to 100Hz) Quasi-continuous acquisition during mission lifetime

Ly Hz Al Zr

Unit1 MSM PIN MSM Si

Unit2 MSM PIN MSM MSM

Unit3 Si PIN Si Si

SWAP and LYRA spectral intervalsfor solar flares, space weather, and aeronomy

LYRA channel 1: the H I 121.6 nm Lyman-alpha lineLYRA channel 2: the 200-220 nm Herzberg continuum rangeLYRA channel 3: the 17-80 nm Aluminium filter range including the He II 30.4 nm line (+ X-ray)LYRA channel 4: the 6-20 nm Zirconium filter range where solar variablility is highest (+ X-ray)SWAP: the range around 17.4 nm including coronal lines like Fe IX and Fe X

LYRA pre-flight spectral responsivity(filter + detector, twelve combinations)

LYRA data products and manuals…

…available at the PROBA2 Science Center:

http://proba2.sidc.be/

Summary: FITS File Structure

lyra_20100609_000000_lev1_***.fits where: *** = met, std, cal, rej, (bst, bca, bre) generally: header + binary extension table(s) extension = header + data (variable length) Lev1 met = HK, STATUS, VFC Lev1 std = uncalibr. irradiance (counts/ms) Lev2 std = calibr. irradiance (W/m²) Lev3 std = calibr. aver. irradiance (W/m²) per line: time, ch1, ch2, ch3, ch4, qual.

Product Definition

Level 1 = full raw data (LY-EDG output) Level 2 = calibrated physical data (LY-BSDG

output) Caution: preliminary status. Require versioning.

Level 3 = processed products (e.g. averages) Level 4 = plots of products Level 5 = event lists (optionally with plots)

Further Data Products…

…“Level 4”, “Level 5” (still preliminary):

LY-TMR:

State of the data processing pipeline

LY-EDG

LY-BSDG

Telemetry packets

Raw data (in counts)

Lv1: Engineering data (in Hz)

fitsfitsfits

fits

Lv2: Calibrated data (in W/m²)

Other tools Higher level data products

Current state In the future

Not distributed Not distributed

Daily basis After each contact

Not available After each contact

Plots + flare list availableirregular

systematic

First results (even before opening covers)

Aurora Oval

Perturbations appearing around 75° latitude

2-3 days after a CME, flare ...

Associated to geomagnetic perturbations

Spacecraft maneuvers

SAA

First Light acquisition (06 Jan 2010)

Aeronomy

Occultations: Study atmospheric absorption; high temporal resolution needed Input for atmospheric models: NRT and calibrated data needed

Flares

LYRA observes flares down to B1.0

LYRA flare list agrees with GOES14

Flares are visible in the two short-wavelength channels

Exceptionally strong and impulsive flares are also visible in the Lyman- alpha channel (precursor)

Example: C4.0 flare, 06 Feb 2010, 07:04 UTC

M2.0 flare, 08 Feb 2010, 13:47 UTC

Comparison with GOES flare

Example: M1.8 flare, 20 Jan 2010, 10:59 UTC

ComparisonwithGOES flare

Example:C5.4 flare,15 Aug 2010,18:30 UTC

Sun-Moon eclipse

…demonstrating the inhomogeneous distribution of EUV radiation across the solar surface

And we have a fifth channel at 17.4nm...

... called SWAP!

SWAP and LYRA observing together

20100607_proba2_movie.mp4

Next steps

Cross-calibration (internal/external) Produce calibrated data automatically Publish first results Advertise data products Get extension from ESA

How to be involved?

Scientists are welcome touse PROBA2 datapropose special observation campaignsGuest Investigator Program welcomes proposals for dedicated (joint) observations in the frame of a science project:Funds available for a stay at PROBA2 Science CenterScientist can take part in the commanding of the instrumentsWill gain expertise in the instrumental effects

Next announcement (for 2011-12): May 2011Proposal deadline and selection: June 2011First visits: September 2011 onwards