Dr Helen Mason – astro physisist. Fellow of St Edmunds College Cambridge. OBE 2014 (Higher education) Teaches OU. Research into solar physics analysis of ultra violet. Working on Joint Japanese satellite.
Reaching for the Sun
Solar Probes:
SOHO 1995
TRACE 1998
RHESII 2002
Solar Probe / Solar Orbitor
Prime constituents – Hydrogen with small amount of helium, with trace of Nitrogoen Argo,
2024 Total Eclipse of Sun from USA.
As the temperature rises, electrons get stripped off. By 1,000,000 Fe+13
Why is the corona so hot?
SOHO – Solar satalite one of the best observatories we have ever had. Through SOHO we can clearly see a hole in the corona, which links with solar winds.
Elephant Trunk equatorial coronal hole
Comets first indicator of a solar wind.
Blue tale is an iron tale, tracking the solar wind.
White comet tail – dust tail
Parker Solar Prob (NASA)
NASA – we work with them. 2018 launched. Mission to the sun. Named after Eugine Parker (first time named after living scientist)
One of the problems of getting to the sun is you have to slow down so as to not shoot past. Uses Venus to slow up to bring towards. Fly by Venus october 2018. Purpose to sample solar wind
Heat shield always pointed towards the sun.
Solar Orbiter led by ESA
Launched March 2020 just before lockdown. Great difficulties since. Heat sheild made of burnt bones. Does not go as close to sun, but needs to protect instruments. Also uses Venus flyby. 10 year mission. Many UK Groups involved in building
Collaboration with India, Puna. ISRO Aditya -L1 launching 2021.
Sunspaceart.org
Kalikellett 