Produced by: Tarun Mishra Designed by: Muskan Arora
Credit: Allison Stancil/NASA
During the upcoming Total Solar Eclipse, NASA will launch five groundbreaking science projects aimed at unravelling the mysteries of the Sun and its influence on Earth.
These experiments are designed to enhance our understanding of heliophysics and atmospheric science, providing valuable insights into the Sun's behavior and its impact on our planet.
Peg Luce, acting director of NASA's Heliophysics Division, expressed excitement about the selection of these projects, highlighting the seven-year gap since the last American total solar eclipse.
One of the ambitious projects involves utilizing NASA's WB-57 high-altitude research aircraft, led by Amir Caspi of the Southwest Research Institute. This mission aims to capture unprecedented images of the eclipse from 50,000 feet (15.24 km) above Earth's surface, providing detailed observations of the Sun's corona.
Credit: Amir Caspi/NASA
The aerial project also seeks to explore the elusive dust ring around the Sun and search for asteroids in close proximity to our star, offering new insights into solar phenomena.
Another team, led by Shadia Habbal from the University of Hawaii, will conduct airborne imaging and spectroscopic observations of the corona using NASA's WB-57s. By flying along the eclipse path, they aim to extend observation time and study the temperature, chemical composition, and dynamics of solar material ejections.
Credit: Bill Stafford/NASA
Nathaniel Frissell from The University of Scranton is spearheading an innovative approach to studying the ionosphere's response to the eclipse. Amateur radio operators will participate in "Solar Eclipse QSO Parties," tracking how the eclipse affects radio wave propagation and providing valuable data on ionospheric behaviour.
This global network of ham radio enthusiasts will contribute to scientific research by monitoring and analysing radio wave propagation during the eclipse, contributing to our understanding of solar events.