Description

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Picture Courtesy: INDIAN EXPRESS

Context:

Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) and Aditya-L1 Mission.

About Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT)

It is one of the key instruments onboard India's first dedicated solar mission, Aditya-L1.

The Aditya-L1 mission was launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) in September 2023, and is positioned at the first Lagrange point (L1), about 1.5 million kilometers from Earth.

The first Lagrange point (L1) is a location in space between the Earth and the Sun. It's a point where the gravitational forces of the Earth and Sun cancel each other out, allowing spacecraft to stay in place.

Why is L1 important?

It's an ideal location for spacecraft to study the Sun and the sunlit side of Earth.
It's a good place for spacecraft to communicate with Earth.
It's a good place for spacecraft to observe celestial bodies without being affected by Earth's atmosphere.

Technical Details of SUIT

SUIT operates in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) range of 200-400 nm.

The instrument uses 11 scientifically calibrated filters (3 broad-band and 8 narrow-band) to capture high-resolution images of the Sun's full disk or specific regions of interest.

SUIT aims to study the dynamic interplay within the magnetized solar atmosphere, focusing on energetic phenomena such as jets, flares, filament evolution, and eruptions.

It also measures and monitors spatially resolved solar spectral irradiance, crucial for understanding the Sun-climate relationship.

Recent Observations and Discoveries

The SUIT instrument captured an X6.3-class solar flare, brightening in the near-ultraviolet (NUV) wavelength range (200-400 nm), a range that had not been observed in such detail before. The flare emerged from the active region NOAA 13590, which had appeared just days earlier on the Sun's Earth-facing side.

Scientific Significance

The detection of localized brightening in the lower solar atmosphere (photosphere and chromosphere) directly corresponds to an increase in the temperature of the plasma in the solar corona.

The finding provides the first direct link between the heating of the plasma and the energy deposition from the flare, which confirms that the energy released by the solar flare propagates through different layers of the Sun's atmosphere.

Must Read Articles:

SOLAR ULTRAVIOLET IMAGING TELESCOPE (SUIT)

ADITYA-L1 MISSION

Source:

INDIAN EXPRESS

PRACTICE QUESTION

Q.Consider the following statements regarding Ultraviolet B (UV-B) radiation:

1. UV-B is completely absorbed by the ozone layer.

2. UV-B is essential for Vitamin D synthesis in humans.

3. Excessive exposure to UV-B can lead to skin cancer.

How many of the above statements are correct?

A) Only one

B) Only two

C) All three

D) None

Answer: B

Explanation:

Statement 1 is incorrect: While the ozone layer absorbs a significant portion of UV-B radiation, it does not completely block it. Some UV-B radiation does reach the Earth's surface.

Statement 2 is correct: UV-B radiation is indeed essential for the synthesis of Vitamin D in humans. When UV-B rays penetrate the skin, they trigger a process that leads to the production of Vitamin D.

Statement 3 is correct: Excessive exposure to UV-B radiation is a major risk factor for skin cancer. UV-B radiation can damage DNA in skin cells, which can lead to mutations and the development of skin cancer over time.