SoSWEET-SOUP: an enhanced constellation mission concept for Space Weather, extreme events, radiation budget and ozone
Abstract
SoSWEET-SOUP is an innovative small satellites constellation which aims to measure on complementary platforms the solar influence on climate, namely on one part solar activity and spectral variability and, on the other, the different components of the Earth radiation budget, energy input and energy re-emitted at the top of the Earth atmosphere, with a particular focus on the UV part of the spectrum and on the ozone layer, which are most sensitive to solar variability. The UV is the only wavelength band with energy absorbed in the high atmosphere (stratosphere), in the ozone (Herzberg continuum, 200-242 nm) and oxygen bands, and its high variability is most probably at the origin of a climate influence. A simultaneous observation of the incoming UV and of the ozone (O3) production, would bring an invaluable information on this process of solar-climate forcing. Space instruments have already measured the different components of the Earth radiation budget but this is, to our knowledge, the first time that all instruments could be operated simultaneously on coordinated platforms. This characteristic guarantees by itself obtaining new significant original scientific results. Another major scientific and operational objective is Space Weather extreme events detection that is better expressed in Lyman Alpha with 3 orders more sensitivity than in H Alpha and a resolution and contrast of eruptions largely superior to the commonly used He II line at 30.4 nm. Previsions are possible hours in advance by following flux ropes deformation and rising in the atmosphere. SoSWEET-SOUP is an evolution of the SUITS/SWUSV and SUMO earlier proposed missions, acknowledging the scientific advantages of associating a constellation of 12 small satellites of some 20 to 30 kg (12 to 24 "U" or so nanosatellites) on equatorial orbits (+/- 20° in latitude) to a small polar satellite of less than 150 kg on a OneWeb Arrow like platform for an almost continuous solar following (a polar orbit is also essential to understanding the relation between solar UV variability and stratospheric ozone on arctic and antarctic regions). SoSWEET polar satellite model payload definition's options are still under assessment but will include, on the polar satellite, SUAVE (Solar Ultraviolet Advanced Variability Experiment), an optimized heavy-duty thermally stable SiC telescope for FUV (Lyman-Alpha) and MUV (200-242 nm Herzberg continuum) imaging (sources of variability, extreme events detection), and SOLSIM (SOLar Spectral Irradiance Monitor), a newly designed double-monochromator instrument covering the 170-340 nm ultraviolet spectral range and in within a limited mass-power budget. Other instruments include a small coronagraph, new UVC detectors (optimized for Herzberg continuum) and ozone radiometers, an Earth radiation budget assembly, Electron-Proton detectors and a vector magnetometer. The constellation of small satellites includes, on its side, precise ozone profiles measurements ("miniGOMOS" experiment, derived from GOMOS ENVISAT, with dual Sun and stars occultations), including middle atmosphere temperature measurements (observing, during the diurnal part of the orbit, the vertical profile of the sunlight scattering at limb), and enhanced energy radiation budget monitors ("miniScaRaB" instrumental evolution of ScaRaB on Megha-Tropiques). Science objectives, mission profiles and model payloads will be presented and opportunities of missions and potential collaborations discussed.
- Publication:
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43rd COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Held 28 January - 4 February
- Pub Date:
- January 2021
- Bibcode:
- 2021cosp...43E1505D