THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
New Delhi, Dec 2: The Solar Wind Ion Spectrometer (SWIS), the second instrument in the Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) of Aditya L1, the Indian Space Research Organization’s first solar mission, is now operational, the space agency announced on Saturday.
“The Solar Wind Ion Spectrometer (SWIS), the second instrument in the Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) payload is operational. The histogram illustrates the energy variations in proton and alpha particle counts captured by SWIS over 2-days,” ISRO informed in a post on X.
The Aditya Solar Wind Particle Experiment (ASPEX) payload on India’s Aditya-L1 satellite is operating normally, according to a statement released by ISRO.
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ASPEX consists of two advanced tools, namely the Solar Wind Ion Spectrometer (SWIS) and STEPS (SupraThermal and Energetic Particle Spectrometer).
The STEPS apparatus started functioning on September 10, 2023, while the SWIS instrument was initiated on November 2, 2023, demonstrating excellent performance, as per the statement. ISRO additionally mentioned that ASPEX has commenced the measurement of solar wind ions.
“SWIS, utilizing two sensor units with a remarkable 360° field of view each, operates in planes perpendicular to one another. The instrument has successfully measured solar wind ions, primarily protons and alpha particles,” the statement mentioned.
“A sample energy histogram acquired from one of the sensors over two days in November 2023 illustrates variations in proton (H+) and alpha particle (doubly ionized helium, He2+) counts. These variations were recorded with nominal integration time, providing a comprehensive snapshot of solar wind behaviour,” the statement added.
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ISRO stated that the accurate measurement of solar wind protons and alphas is facilitated by the precise directional capabilities of SWIS. This capability plays a crucial role in addressing persistent inquiries about the properties of solar wind, the processes involved, and their effects on Earth.
The statement further mentioned that as scientists analyze the gathered data, the global scientific community is eagerly anticipating the substantial insights that Aditya-L1’s ASPEX is poised to provide regarding the mysterious solar wind and its potential implications for Earth.
