To recreate Artificial solar eclipses In space they could revolutionize Knowledge of the atmosphere of the SunThe field is the prerequisite of the Sun OCCULTATION MISSION (MESOM) mission with support for the Sun, the project headed by British institutions, such as the University College of London (UCL), the University of Abiristutwit and the Surrey University Space Center. The plan will be presented this week at the National Astronomical Congress of the Astronomical Society of the Royal and seeks to offer an unprecedented window for Decipher the key phenomena, such as solar storms or mysterious coronal warming.
Longer and more useful eclipses than from the ground
Unlike brief and sporadic opportunities to observe the sunny crown from the ground during general eclipses, Mesom proposes to accommodate Little satellite in a special orbit that allows you Lease with a shadow Moon Every 29.6 days, The duration of one month is Sinodic. This generates eclipse Artificial amount From space Up to 48 minutesTen times longer than those that are observed from our planet.
A hook This is in Use the lunar shadow itself as “natural hidden” This blocks the intensive light of the solar disc and allows you to study its most internal atmosphere: less than 1.02 solar radio stations (about 710,000 km from the center of the Sun) were included in the region. For comparison, the Mission of the Proba-3 of the European Space Agency reaches only 1.1 solar radios. With this configuration, Mesom approaches the Sun 56,000 km more than it was still possible.
A unique opportunity to study the sunny crown
This privileged environment would allow the mission to take data without interference from the Earth’s atmosphere and with unprecedented continuity. Within two years that could be put into operation, Mesom will reproduce the equivalent of about 80 earthly eclipses. Authentic gold mine for studying such phenomena as crinal mass ejection, the behavior of a solar magnetic field or the origin of the so -called “cosmic climate”.
For this, The satellite will be equipped With a high -level instrumental set. Will include High resolution telescope (led by the Military Research Laboratory of the United States), Coronal mass -spectrometer (Developed by Aberystwyth and Mullard Space Sciss Laboratory UCL) and S3PC of the Spanish Consortium of the SpectropolueterIn order to accurately measure the structure of solar plasma and magnetic field lines that control its dynamics.
“When the Sun is in“ It will allow us Register physical processes with impossible depth and duration from the EarthAnd it is better to understand how extreme events are launched, such as solar outbreaks. ”
The next step: to convince that
Mesom was represented by the F-class call of the European Space Agency (ESA) in May last year with the planned response at the end of the year. These missions, smaller and flexible than missions like M, have a maximum budget of 205 million euros and a development calendar of less than eight years. In case of choice, the launch may occur between 2026 and 2028.
The project drivers emphasize that this strategy uses the advantages of the natural dynamics of the Lima-Sol earth system to overcome the limits of ordinary astronomical observation. To move forward, Mesom will not only help decipher the secrets of the Sun, but also improve the forecasts of the cosmic climate and their influence on the Earth, from satellite communication to electric networks.
