Syllabus: Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology
Importance of Solar Studies
- Solar Impact: Sun profoundly influences earth; source of life and motivation for modern technological infrastructure.
- Space Weather: Solar flares, coronal mass ejections, energetic storms affect satellites, astronauts, communications, navigation, power grids.
- Forecasting Need: Understanding solar activity’s origin, evolution and environmental effects vital for effective space weather prediction.
Key Solar Phenomena
- Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs): Sudden plasma discharges from sun’s outermost atmosphere layer called corona.
- Solar Wind: Continuous outflow of charged particles from corona into space affecting planetary environments.
- Solar Flares: Massive explosions triggered by rapid energy release from twisted magnetic fields above sunspots.
- Radiation Burst: Flares generate electromagnetic spectrum radiation including radio waves, X-rays and gamma rays.
Research Challenges
- Connection Understanding: Incomplete knowledge of relationship between CMEs and solar wind flows remains problematic.
- Magnetic Structures: Poorly defined CME magnetic structures affect their motion and trajectory predictions significantly.
- Complex Interactions: Ambient solar magnetic fields alter CME orientation affecting earth and other planets.
- Flare Prediction: Limited knowledge about magnetic field emergence from beneath sun’s surface complicates forecasting.
Aditya-L1 Mission
- Launch: ISRO launched India’s first solar space observatory in September 2023 at Lagrange Point 1.
- Location: Stationed 1.5 million km from earth where gravitational forces balance orbital motion enabling stability.
- Function: Takes high-resolution images and spectra of solar atmosphere; several exciting results already published.
- Detection Capability: Positioned to detect solar eruptions moving towards earth passing through L1 point.
Future Observatory Strategy
- L4 and L5 Deployment: Proposed spacecraft placement at strategic Lagrange points for comprehensive solar monitoring.
- L5 Advantage: Located 60º behind earth’s orbit; observes solar regions before rotating towards earth enabling early detection.
- Triangular Network: L1, L4 (60º ahead) and L5 create observation network with earth at centre.
- 3D Tracking: Two spacecraft function as “two eyes” computing accurate 3D trajectories of solar events.
- Data Challenge: L4 and L5 located 30 million km from earth complicating data transmission speeds.
Long-Term Vision
- Prediction Models: Develop indigenous state-of-the-art models for solar flares and CME arrival time predictions within 10-15 years.
- Private Sector: India’s space sector opened to private companies enabling innovation in solar storm modelling.
- Self-Reliance Goal: Achieve independence in understanding space weather and solar-terrestrial relationships comprehensively.
Q- The Aditya-L1 mission marks India’s entry into dedicated solar observation. Discuss the significance of solar physics research for India’s space assets and technological infrastructure. (10 Marks)