BENGALURU: ISRO said that the Plasma Analyser Package for Aditya (PAPA) payload on the Aditya-L1 satellite has effectively identified the influence of coronal mass ejections (CMEs) on solar wind, including occurrences that took place on Feb 10-11.
PAPA is equipped with two sensors: the Solar Wind Electron Energy Probe (SWEEP) for measuring electrons and the Solar Wind Ion Composition Analyser (SWICAR) for measuring ions. Both sensors are capable of determining the direction from which solar wind particles are arriving.
The sensors have been functioning since December 12, capturing spectra indicating the prevalence of protons and alpha particles as anticipated. An interruption in the spectra occurred during Aditya-L1’s halo orbit insertion on Jan 6 due to a temporary change in payload orientation.
On December 15, there was a sudden rise in particle counts, which aligns with variations in solar wind observed at the L1 point by DSCOVR and ACE satellites, suggesting the discovery of a Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) event.
Additional CME hits were seen on February 10-11, showing slight discrepancies in electron and ion count fluctuations consistent with several mild occurrences.
The findings demonstrate PAPA’s capability in monitoring space weather and analyzing solar events by identifying changes in solar wind composition. Aditya-L1 can offer vital real-time data on conditions at the L1 point through continuous observations by the highly sensitive SWEEP and SWICAR sensors.
The PAPA instrument was created by the Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre (VSSC) of ISRO for the purpose of investigating the Sun’s coronal heating mechanisms and solar transients as part of the Aditya-L1 mission. ISRO’s success showcases its expertise in indigenous technology.
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