India’s Aditya-L1 Mission captures Solar Flare

Context

India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1, has made a historic advancement in solar research. Through its instrument, the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), Aditya-L1 has captured an extraordinary observation of a powerful solar flare, providing new insights into solar activity.

Key-highlights

The SUIT onboard Aditya-L1 captured an 3-class solar flare—one of the most intense solar flares observed.
This solar flare was observed in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) wavelength range (200-400 nm), and it marks the first time the Sun’s entire disk has been imaged in this wavelength with such detail.
Role of SUIT:
- Historically, while solar flares have been observed for over a century, data in the Near Ultraviolet (NUV) band has been largely unavailable due to the lack of dedicated space telescopes. The SUIT instrument on Aditya-L1 has now filled this gap, offering high-resolution observations of solar flares, which were previously difficult to capture with such clarity.
- One of the most significant findings from the SUIT’s observations is the detection of localized brightening on the Sun’s surface.
- This brightening corresponds to a rise in plasma temperature in the solar corona, the outermost layer of the Sun. This finding confirms long-standing theoretical predictions about how energy from solar flares heats up the corona.
Significance: The data will help scientists better understand the dynamics of solar flares and their energy transfer processes. By observing the direct relationship between flare energy deposition and the heating of the corona, these observations provide critical insights that have long been theorized but never directly observed.

Fact Box:

What is Aditya-L1?

Aditya-L1 is India’s inaugural mission designed to study the Sun.
It is a key part of the country’s space exploration program and is equipped with advanced instruments, including the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), to monitor solar phenomena.
It is positioned at Lagrange Point L1, about 1.5 million km from Earth.
The mission aims to improve our understanding of solar activities and their effects on space weather, which can impact Earth’s atmosphere and technological systems.

What is solar flare?

A solar flare is a sudden burst of energy caused by the release of magnetic energy in the Sun’s atmosphere.
A solar flare is an intense burst of radiation coming from the release of magnetic energy associated with sunspots.
Flares are the solar system’s largest explosive events.
They are seen as bright areas on the sun and they can last from minutes to hours.
The primary ways to monitor flares are in x-rays and optical light. Flares are also sites where particles (electrons, protons, and heavier particles) are accelerated.
Impact: These events can have significant consequences for space weather, impacting satellite operations, radio communications, power grids, and even posing risks to astronauts and airline passengers in high-altitude flights.

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GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

1st March 2025 (10 Topics)

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India’s Aditya-L1 Mission captures Solar Flare

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GS Analyst: Daily Current Affairs

India’s Aditya-L1 Mission captures Solar Flare

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Fact Box:

Still Have Questions?

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