Aditya-L1: its functioning and purpose - The Hindu

Aditya-L1 Mission Overview

The Aditya-L1 mission, launched on September 2nd, will travel to the Lagrange point 1 (L1), 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, to provide an uninterrupted view of the Sun. Its instruments will study the Sun's corona, a region significantly hotter than the solar surface, and the processes driving coronal mass ejections (CMEs).

Understanding Solar Activity and Climate Variability

The mission will measure solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation and its influence on Earth's atmosphere and climate. Variations in solar UV radiation are a significant factor in climate change, and Aditya-L1 will help quantify this contribution.

Space Weather Monitoring

Aditya-L1 will act as a space weather station, monitoring solar wind parameters like density, speed, and direction. This will improve predictions of geomagnetic storms, which can disrupt communication systems, satellites, and power grids.

Key Instruments and Their Roles

• Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT): Observes UV radiation from different solar atmospheric zones to understand climate variability.
• Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC): Images the inner corona (closer to the Sun's surface than previous telescopes), providing crucial data on CME acceleration.
• Solar Wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX), Plasma Analyser Package For Aditya (PAPA), and magnetometers: Monitor space weather parameters near L1 to predict geomagnetic storms.

The data collected will contribute to a better understanding of the Sun's dynamics and its effects on Earth's climate and space weather, ultimately leading to improved forecasting capabilities.