NRL’s Compact Coronagraph on NOAA’s GOES-19 Spacecraft Captures Solar Phenomena
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory’s (NRL) Compact Coronagraph (CCOR) has made significant strides in capturing critical images of the Sun’s atmosphere and solar phenomena, paving the way for enhanced space weather prediction. Here’s what you need to know about the NRL’s latest achievements and future plans.
Successful Capture of CME Images
The NRL’s Compact Coronagraph (CCOR) recently captured its first images of coronal mass ejections (CMEs). These images were taken from the east limb of the Sun and illustrate vividly the potential of the instrument to monitor and predict solar weather phenomena.
CCOR: Observing the Sun’s Outer Atmosphere
The CCOR, a small space telescope specifically designed to observe the Sun’s outer atmosphere, works by creating an artificial eclipse. This technique allows it to focus on the solar corona, providing insights into its structure and activity. When sunlight illuminates the instrument, an occulter blocks out the Sun’s disk, mimicking a natural eclipse.
CMEs and Their Effects
On October 3, 2024, the CCOR captured a prototype illustration of a halo CME. These halos appear as near-circular shapes on coronagraph images, indicative of particularly active solar regions. The observed halo CME led to some unusual effects seen on Earth a few days later, including an extensive Northern Lights sighting across the northern United States from Washington state to Maine.
Continuous Monitoring and Future Developments
Since its initial activation on September 19, 2024, the CCOR has been a valuable resource for scientists studying the Sun’s corona. Over the next few weeks, it captured several CMEs, including another halo CME on October 10 due to an active region on the Sun’s surface.
Arnaud Thernisien, a research physicist at NRL’s Advanced Sensor Technology Section, expressed enthusiasm regarding the CCOR’s performance. He noted, "By creating an artificial eclipse, the CCOR allows scientists to study the Sun’s corona, which can produce powerful solar storms that can disrupt Earth-based technologies."
Role in Space Weather Prediction
The CCOR is pivotal for accurate space weather prediction. Its ability to detect CMEs with low latency provides critical early warnings of solar storms. These predictions are invaluable for minimizing the risks posed by CMEs, such as satellite damage, radio communication disruptions, and power grid failures.
Collaboration with NOAA and DOD
The data from the CCOR is utilized by NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) and the Department of Defense (DOD) to enhance their predictions. This partnership ensures that space weather alerts are timely and actionable, thereby safeguarding both environmental stability and economic prosperity.
NRL’s Long-Term Goals
The NRL aims to continue the successful operation of the CCOR and introduce follow-up instruments, such as CCOR-2. Scheduled for launch in mid-2025, CCOR-2 will build upon the existing technology to provide advanced solar observations. Additionally, the team is working on a compact coronagraph for the European Space Agency’s (ESA) Vigil mission, slated for 2031.
Call to Action
Stay tuned for more updates on NRL’s Compact Coronagraph and its role in shaping space weather prediction. To learn more about the latest findings and potential impacts, visit our website or follow us on social media for the latest news and insights.
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