Solar experiments
Abstract
Owing to the well-known negative temperature gradient in the It is also hoped that some type of x-ray imaging device will be solar atmosphere, the solar chromosphere and corona emit strongly flown in the first vehicle. in the far-ultraviolet and x-ray regions of the spectrum, as has Plans are also being developed for the installation of a small already been revealed by observations from rockets. The highly solar observatory with a variety of instruments totaling about energetic events connected with solar flares also result in strong 600 or 700 lb, exclusive of stabilization gear, power supply and emissions at very short wavelengths. Hence, solar experiments storage, etc. The instruments would include a high-dispersion from satellites will have high priority in the astronomy space spectrometer operating in the region from 3000 to 75 A, one or program. more spectroheliometers to register images of the sun in Lyman-a Design work has been begun on the development of solar in- and other monochromatic radiations, an x-ray telescope and strumentation to be flown in a series of vehicles with progressively spectrometer, and equipment for the observation of low-frequency larger payloads. The first experiment is being designed for a ve- radio emission from the sun. hicle that can carry instruments up to a weight of about 100 lb Finally, it is pointed out that a number of important problems and that will be stabilized with a pointing accuracy of a few min- in solar physics can be solved better by observations from balloons utes of arc. Two scanning spectrometers will be employed, one rather than from satellites. These include studies of the hydro- covering the spectral region from 1600 to 500 A and the other dynamic and magnetic properties of the solar photosphere, and from 600 to 75 A. The resolving power would be about 1 A, and observation of the infrared solar spectrum. the spectrometers would have a combined weight of about 45 lb.
- Publication:
-
The Astronomical Journal
- Pub Date:
- June 1960
- DOI:
- 10.1086/108245
- Bibcode:
- 1960AJ.....65..274G