STFC and NASA
STFC has a number of bilateral agreements with NASA to collaborate in space missions,
and one such mission is STEREO (Solar TErrestrial RElations Observatory), STFC is
funding instruments for the mission which uses two spacecraft to examine the Sun
simultaneously from two different vantage points in the Solar System. Researchers
at STFC Rutherford Appleton Laboratory led the development of one of the instruments.
The research
STEREO is a 2-year mission employing two nearly identical observatories to provide
3D measurements of the Sun to study the nature of coronal mass ejections. These
powerful eruptions (also called solar 'hurricanes') are a major source of the magnetic
disruptions on Earth and a key component of space weather. This can greatly affect
satellite operations, communications, power systems, the lives of humans in space
and global climate. STEREO was successfully launched on 25 October 2006.
There are two specific areas of research. The first is the 3D imaging using two
platforms. The second is that by getting out of the Sun-Earth line you can see the
space between the Sun and the Earth as it's never been seen before. So, we can look
for mass ejections heading towards Earth (and arriving at Earth) for the first time.
Instruments on board STEREO captured the first images ever of a collision between
a solar "hurricane", called a coronal mass ejection (CME), and a comet. The collision
caused the complete detachment of the comet's plasma tail. This spectacular event
can be seen on the website.
The project
UK scientists and engineers have contributed to STEREO by building the HI (Heliospheric
Imager) cameras for the SECCHI package on each observatory. HI is a wide angled
imaging system (meaning it has a broad field of view) and will be studying how CMEs
propagate, particularly those that are likely to affect the Earth. HI was funded
by STFC. The Council's Rutherford Appleton Laboratory is responsible for the scientific
exploitation of the heliospheric imagers as well as providing the detectors used
in all of STEREO's camera systems. The HI instrument has been developed by a UK-led
consortium which includes the Centre Spatial de Liege, Belgium, and the Naval Research
Laboratory, USA. Both heliospheric imagers were built in the UK at the University
of Birmingham.
Quotation: Professor Richard Harrison is the principal investigator of
the Heliospheric Imager - one of 4 instruments on board the Stereo spacecraft. He
said "STEREO has really opened up two completely new chapters in solar research.
First, by sitting to one side of the Earth, we can now image solar ejecta as they
hurtle towards and hit the Earth and, second, we can see a star for the first time
in 3D - we cannot do that for any other star!"
Contact:
Professor
Richard Harrison
Links:
NASA's link to STEREO
RAL's weblink for the mission