solar orbiter exploring the sun-heliosphere connection science questions mission overview status...
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Solar OrbiterExploring the Sun-heliosphere connection
Science questionsMission overview
Status update
The Sun creates the heliosphere
Why study the Sun-space connection?
• Addresses ESA’s Cosmic Vision question “How does the solar system work?”
• Study plasma phenomena which occur throughout the Universe– Shocks, particle acceleration, magnetic reconnection,
turbulence, etc.– Also addresses Cosmic Vision question “What are the
fundamental physical laws of the Universe?”• Solar wind and energetic particles directly affect life on Earth– Impact on space and ground-based assets
• Builds on European heritage: Ulysses and SoHO
The need for near-Sun observations
Solar Orbiter
In-situ density
Solar Orbiter
Days
1 2 3 4 5 6
Distance
How and where do the solar wind plasma and magnetic field originate in the corona?• Solar wind is
variable and structured
• Originates in complex magnetic “carpet”
• Small scale transient jets are common
polar coronal hole coronal funnel
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• Solar Orbiter will measure the spatial and temporal variability of the solar source and solar wind in unprecedented detail
Linking Sun and the solar wind
• We need to measure the same parameter on the Sun and in space to make the link– Heavy ion charge states and
composition– Magnetic polarity– Energetic particles
• Solar Orbiter will make all of these measurements with both remote sensing and in situ instruments
He+
H+
How do solar transients drive heliospheric variability?• How are substructures
of coronal mass ejections related to interplanetary transients?
• How are CMEs processed as they travel from the Sun?
• Solar Orbiter will image CMEs and measure their evolution in the inner heliosphere
Coronal mass ejections in space
How do solar eruptions produce energetic particle radiation?• Around 10% of coronal
mass ejection energy is in accelerated particles
• Understanding release and transport mechanisms requires going close to the Sun
• Solar Orbiter will measure energetic particles within a mean free path of their acceleration site
0.3 AU
1.0 AU
How does the solar dynamo work?
• The unexplored poles are central to the operation of the Sun’s dynamo
• Solar Orbiter will provide the first accurate measurements of polar flows and magnetic fields
The Sun has changed
What is required
• Close to the Sun• Out of the ecliptic• Long duration observations of the same region• Remote measurements of the Sun and corona• In situ measurements of fields and particles
• It is this unique combination provided by Solar Orbiter that makes it possible to address the question of how the Sun creates and controls the heliosphere
SummaryCarefully optimised payload of ten remote sensing and in situ instruments
Launch: January 2017
Cruise Phase: 3 years
Nominal Mission: 3.5 years
Extended Mission: 2.5 years
Perihelion: 0.28 – 0.3 AU
Fast perihelion motion: solar features visible for almost complete rotation
Out of ecliptic: first good view of solar poles
Mission profile
Solar Orbiter spacecraft
• Three-axis stabilised, Sun pointing• Heatshield at front• Re-use of BepiColombo
unit designs as practical• Mass: 1750kg• Power: 1100W• Launch: ELV
In situ instrumentsSWA Solar wind analyser Chris Owen, UK Sampling protons, electrons and heavy ions in
the solar wind
EPD Energetic particle detector Javier Rodriguez-Pacheco, Spain
Measuring timing and distribution functions of accelerated energetic particles
MAG Magnetometer Tim Horbury, UK High-precision measurements of the heliospheric magnetic field
RPW Radio and plasma wave analyser
Milan Maksimovic, France
Studying local electromagnetic and electrostatic waves and solar radio bursts
Remote sensing instrumentsPHI Polarimetric and
heliospheric imagerSami Solanki, Germany
Full-disc and high-resolution visible light imaging of the Sun
EUI Extreme ultraviolet imager Pierre Rochus, Belgium
Studying fine-scale processes and large-scale eruptions
STIX Spectrometer/telescope for imaging X-rays
Arnold Benz, Switzerland
Studying hot plasmas and accelerated electrons
METIS Multi-element telescope for imaging and spectroscopy
Ester Antonucci, Italy High-resolution UV and extreme UV coronagraphy
SoloHI Solar Orbiter heliospheric imager
Russ Howard, US Observing light scattered by the solar wind over a wide field of view
SPICE Spectral imaging of the coronal environment
Facility instrument, ESA provided
Spectroscopy on the solar disc and corona
SPICE and SIS
• ESA tasked external review committee to study scientific impact of NASA decision not to support SPICE and SIS
• Committee urged ESA to investigate ways to recover measurement capabilities of SIS and SPICE
SPICE – UV imaging spectrograph
• Returns 2D high resolution spectral images– Intensity, Doppler shift, line width– Complete temperature coverage from
chromosphere to flaring corona• Provides remote characterisation of
plasma properties near the Sun
• Map outflow velocities and composition of surface features to solar wind structures
SPICE - status
• Proposal exists for provision of SPICE instrument
• Retains Red Book capabilities– Full on disk capabilities– Off-limb up to 1.3 solar radii– METIS augments this with off-limb spectroscopy beyond
1.3 solar radii
• All mission science goals achieved
SIS – Supra-thermal ion spectrograph
• Measures supra-thermal heavy ions
• Part of EPD suite• Covers energy range
between solar wind and energetic particles
• Explores near-Sun ion pool, plus flares and shocks
SIS - status
• Proposal exists for provision of SIS instrument
• Retains Red Book capability
• All mission science goals achieved
Perihelion remote sensing
High-latitude remote sensing
High-latitude remote sensing
Science windows
• Orbit: 150-168 days• In situ instruments on at all times• Three science “windows” of 10 days
each• All remote sensing instruments
operational• Observing strategies based on science
targets– Active regions, coronal hole
boundaries, flares, high speed wind, polar structures
• Autonomous burst mode triggers for unpredictable events
• Telemetry and mass memory tailored to return planned instrument data volumes
Links to Solar Probe Plus
• Many conjunctions will occur between Solar Orbiter and Solar Probe Plus– Extends science
return from both msisions
• Solar Probe Plus is not required for any Solar Orbiter science goal
Solar Orbiter
• Answers the Cosmic Vision question “How does the solar system work?”
• Unique combination of orbit and instruments• Selected payload is optimised answer the most fundamental
questions of solar and heliospheric physics• Timely, mature and well studied mission with compelling
scientific objectives