The Solar Polar Observing Constellation (SPOC) Mission: research and operational monitoring of space weather from polar heliocentric orbits
Abstract
The Sun's polar regions remain largely unobserved and yet understanding and monitoring of the magnetic field, convective flows, and coronal outflow conditions in the solar polar regions are the keys to accurately modeling and forecasting the solar cycle, solar wind conditions, and CME arrival times at Earth. We describe the Solar Polar Observing Constellation (SPOC), a mission to establish continuous high-resolution imaging of solar magnetic field dynamics, high-latitude surface and sub-surface convective flows, and coronal mass ejection tracking from a low-eccentricity polar heliocentric orbit. SPOC will consist of two identical spacecraft, each equipped with a Lockheed Martin Compact Magnetic Imager (CMI, derived from the Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO) Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager), the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) Compact Coronagraph (CCOR), and in-situ solar wind and energetic particle instruments. Falcon Heavy launch vehicles will place the SPOC spacecraft into a Jupiter gravitational assist (JGA) heliocentric orbit, achieving an 88-degree ecliptic inclination, with the spacecraft passing over the solar poles within 4 years after launch. Ion engines will subsequently reduce the eccentricity of the orbits to below 0.05 at approximately 0.9 AU within 6 years after launch. Orbital phasing will place the spacecraft over alternate poles to enable continuous monitoring of the polar regions with operational-level redundancy of systems. The inclusion of CCOR will enable visualization and tracking of coronal mass ejections from above (or below) the ecliptic for the first time, greatly enhancing our ability to forecast CME arrival times at Earth and other planets such as Mars. SPOC combines polar region exploration, high-latitude helioseismology and magnetic imaging, and operational space weather monitoring in a single mission. Along with planned missions to the L1 and L5 Lagrangian points in the ecliptic, SPOC will enable an approach to the long-sought goal of continuous full-sphere measurements of the solar magnetic field, solar wind and CME outflow, and energetic particle flux - a goal that cannot be achieved with observations from the ecliptic plane alone.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFMSH43F3352B
- Keywords:
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- 7536 Solar activity cycle;
- SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY;
- 7594 Instruments and techniques;
- SOLAR PHYSICS;
- ASTROPHYSICS;
- AND ASTRONOMY;
- 7924 Forecasting;
- SPACE WEATHER;
- 7974 Solar effects;
- SPACE WEATHER