Using the agency’s twin Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) spacecraft, NASA astronomers have created the first three-dimensional images of the Sun.
The new view, they say, will greatly aid scientists' ability to understand solar physics and thereby improve space weather forecasting.
"The improvement with STEREO's 3D view is like going from a regular X-ray to a 3D CAT scan in the medical field," said Dr. Michael Kaiser, STEREO Project Scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, US.
The STEREO spacecraft were launched October 25, 2006. On January 21 they completed a series of complex manoeuvres, including flying by the moon, to position the spacecraft in their mission orbits.
The new view, they say, will greatly aid scientists' ability to understand solar physics and thereby improve space weather forecasting.
"The improvement with STEREO's 3D view is like going from a regular X-ray to a 3D CAT scan in the medical field," said Dr. Michael Kaiser, STEREO Project Scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, US.
The STEREO spacecraft were launched October 25, 2006. On January 21 they completed a series of complex manoeuvres, including flying by the moon, to position the spacecraft in their mission orbits.
The two observatories are now orbiting the Sun, one slightly ahead of Earth and one slightly behind, separating from each other by approximately 45 degrees per year.
Researchers say just as the slight offset between a person’s eyes provides depth perception, the separation of spacecraft allow 3-D images of the Sun.
"In the solar atmosphere, there are no clues to help us judge distance. Everything appears flat in the 2D plane of the sky. Having a stereo perspective just makes it so much easier," said Dr. Russell Howard of the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, the Principal Investigator for the SECCHI (Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation) suite of telescopes on the spacecraft.
"With STEREO's 3D imagery, we'll be able to discern where matter and energy flows in the solar atmosphere much more precisely than with the 2D views available before. This will really help us understand the complex physics going on," he said.
Dr. Howard said STEREO's depth perception would also help improve space weather forecasts.
Of particular concern is a destructive type of solar eruption called a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), which are eruptions of electrically charged gas, called plasma, from the Sun's atmosphere.
Researchers say just as the slight offset between a person’s eyes provides depth perception, the separation of spacecraft allow 3-D images of the Sun.
"In the solar atmosphere, there are no clues to help us judge distance. Everything appears flat in the 2D plane of the sky. Having a stereo perspective just makes it so much easier," said Dr. Russell Howard of the Naval Research Laboratory, Washington, the Principal Investigator for the SECCHI (Sun Earth Connection Coronal and Heliospheric Investigation) suite of telescopes on the spacecraft.
"With STEREO's 3D imagery, we'll be able to discern where matter and energy flows in the solar atmosphere much more precisely than with the 2D views available before. This will really help us understand the complex physics going on," he said.
Dr. Howard said STEREO's depth perception would also help improve space weather forecasts.
Of particular concern is a destructive type of solar eruption called a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), which are eruptions of electrically charged gas, called plasma, from the Sun's atmosphere.
“To do this, forecasters need to know the location of the front of the CME cloud. STEREO will allow scientists to accurately locate the CME cloud front. Knowing where the front of the CME cloud is will improve estimates of the arrival time from within a day or so to just a few hours. STEREO also will help forecasters estimate how severe the resulting magnetic storm will be,” said Dr. Howard.
“In addition to the STEREO perspective of solar features, for the first time STEREO will allow imaging of the solar disturbances the entire way from the Sun to the Earth. Presently, scientists are only able to model this region in the dark, from only one picture of solar disturbances leaving the Sun and reaching only a fraction of the Sun-Earth distance,” added Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta, STEREO Program Scientist, NASA Headquarters. Washington. (ANI)
“In addition to the STEREO perspective of solar features, for the first time STEREO will allow imaging of the solar disturbances the entire way from the Sun to the Earth. Presently, scientists are only able to model this region in the dark, from only one picture of solar disturbances leaving the Sun and reaching only a fraction of the Sun-Earth distance,” added Dr. Madhulika Guhathakurta, STEREO Program Scientist, NASA Headquarters. Washington. (ANI)
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