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Public Release of Complete SUIT Data from Aditya-L1 Mission |
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The Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), one of the primary payloads on board Aditya-L1, has now released its first complete set of calibrated science-ready data for the global research community. Aditya-L1, launched by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) on September 2, 2023, is India’s first dedicated solar observatory, carrying seven instruments to study the Sun across a wide spectral window from hard X-rays to infrared, along with particle detectors spanning an unprecedented energy range.
For the first time, SUIT provides observations of the Sun in the near and mid-ultraviolet wavelength bands (2000–4000 Å), opening a new frontier in solar physics.
For the first time, SUIT provides observations of the Sun in the near and mid-ultraviolet wavelength bands (2000–4000 Å), opening a new frontier in solar physics.
Instrument Performance and Data Release
SUIT was switched on November 20, 2023, and obtained its first light images on December 6, 2023. while the satellite was still cruising towards the Sun-Earth Lagrangian point L1. Aditya-L1 was inserted into an orbit around L1 on January 6, 2024. Following a rigorous verification and calibration phase, that was completed by June 2024, the data are now fully processed and ready for scientific use.A set of full disk completely processed data is attached.
The SUIT team has conducted several workshops for undergraduate and post graduate students to help them with understanding and analysing these observations at various institutes around the country– often in collaboration with the Aditya Science Support Cell. Set of these tutorials are also available on SUIT webpage: https://suit.iucaa.in/
We are pleased to announce that the complete SUIT dataset, beginning June 1, 2024, is now publicly available through the ISRO Science Data Archive (https://pradan.issdc.gov.in/al1/).
Detailed papers describing the instrument, calibration methods, and first science results have been published and are accessible here:
Scientific Context
The Sun, containing more than 99% of the Solar System’s mass, serves as a natural laboratory for plasma physics. Its atmosphere presents some of the most intriguing mysteries in astrophysics, such as the coronal heating problem the existence of a million-degree corona above cooler surface layers.Ultraviolet radiation and energetic eruptions from the Sun strongly influence space weather, impacting satellites, communications, navigation systems, and even power grids on Earth. Understanding these processes is therefore crucial, not just for basic science but also for safeguarding space-based and ground-based systems.
Another of SUIT’s prime objectives is to study solar radiation in the 2000–4000 Å band, constraining the Sun–climate connection and, for the first time, allowing detailed investigations into the spectral distribution of energy during solar flares. This unique capability is expected to provide new insights into the physics of solar eruptions and their energetics.
Figure: Processed full disk images of the Sun taken by SUIT in all it's filters.
About the Mission
SUIT was developed by a consortium led by the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, with support from ISRO. The consortium includes CESSI-IISER Kolkata (MoE), Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS), USO/PRL, and Tezpur University.The Aditya-L1 mission was conceived and realised with contributions from multiple ISRO centres, as well as partner institutions across India.
For further details, please visit: https://suit.iucaa.in/
Reference:
Find the Marathi translation of the above text here: Click Here
Research contacts:
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Prof. Durgesh Tripathi IUCAA, Pune E-mail: durgesh_at_iucaa.in |
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Prof. A. N. Ramaprakash IUCAA, Pune E-mail: anr_at_iucaa.in |