First scientific findings of Aditya-L1 Mission

Source: This post on First scientific findings of Aditya-L1 Mission has been created based on the article “First science result from Aditya L1, ISRO’s sun mission, is out” published in The Hindu on 4th November 2024.

Why in news?

Recently, India’s first solar mission, Aditya-L1 has released its first scientific findings.

About the Findings

1. The first scientific result from India’s Aditya-L1 mission has been unveiled, marking a significant milestone in solar research.

2. The Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) which is the primary instrument onboard Aditya-L1 has successfully captured data allowing scientists to estimate the precise onset time of a coronal mass ejection (CME) from the Sun.

3. This accomplishment is noteworthy because CMEs are powerful solar eruptions that can impact Earth’s space environment, disrupting satellite electronics and communication networks.

About Aditya-L1

1. Aditya-L1 was launched on September 2, 2023, by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre.

2. It is India’s first mission dedicated to solar observation.

3. VELC plays a crucial role in monitoring solar activities by observing CMEs and other energetic solar phenomena.

4. These eruptions are often visible only after they have moved some distance away from the Sun’s surface, but VELC’s unique spectroscopic capabilities allow scientists to study CMEs close to the Sun’s surface itself for the first time.

5. Scientists highlighted that VELC’s observations bring unique insights into the thermodynamic properties of CMEs near the Sun, offering a closer view of their source regions.

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