Abstract
We are designing an imager capable of observing the Thomson scattering signal from transient, diffuse features in the heliosphere[1]. The imager is expected to trace these features, which include coronal mass ejections, co-rotating structures and shock waves, to elongations greater than 90° from the Sun from a spacecraft in an ≈800 km Earth orbit. The predecessor of this instrument was the zodiacal-light photometer experiment on the HELIOS spacecraft which demonstrated the capability of remotely imaging transient heliospheric structures [2]. The HELIOS photometers have shown it possible to image mass ejections, co-rotating structures and the density enhancements behind shock waves. The second-generation imager we are designing, would have far higher spatial resolution enabling us to make a more complete description of these features from the Sun to 1 AU. In addition, an imager at Earth could allow up to three days warning of the arrival of a solar mass ejection.
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© 1992 Springer-Verlag
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Jackson, B.V., Webb, D.F., Altrock, R.C., Gold, R. (1992). Considerations of a Solar Mass Ejection Imager in a low-earth orbit. In: Švestka, Z., Jackson, B.V., Machado, M.E. (eds) Eruptive Solar Flares. Lecture Notes in Physics, vol 399. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-55246-4_117
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/3-540-55246-4_117
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