LANL Instruments Launch Aboard NASA Probe to Study Solar Winds

Scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL) have developed advanced instruments that will enhance our understanding of the sun and the heliosphere. These tools are part of a newly launched probe from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), aimed at studying solar phenomena.

Instruments Aboard the IMAP Mission

The two instruments designed by LANL are among ten mounted on the Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP), which was launched in September 2023. This probe is en route to the first Lagrange point, a gravitationally stable area located between the Earth and the sun, which it is expected to reach in about four months. By mid-January 2024, all instruments should be operational, marking the beginning of the scientific phase of the mission.

The IMAP mission builds upon data collected by NASA’s earlier Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX), launched in 2008. The instruments from LANL, particularly the IMAP-Hi, are designed to filter out background noise more effectively than their predecessors, allowing for a more precise analysis of the heliosphere.

Herb Funsten, the instrument lead on IMAP-Hi, noted the exploratory nature of the IBEX mission, stating, “IBEX was really a mission of discovery. We didn’t know what we were actually going to find.” The advancements made with the IMAP tools aim to fill in gaps left by previous missions.

Understanding Galactic Rays and Solar Winds

Galactic rays, which consist of highly charged particles, pose various risks, including potential impacts on human DNA and disruption of satellite communications. The heliosphere acts as a protective barrier, reducing the intensity of these rays by a factor of ten. LANL’s research aims to unravel the complexities of this protective layer and its interaction with solar winds.

The sun is unique in that it is the only star close enough for direct study, providing researchers with a valuable opportunity to gather significant data. The IMAP-Hi instrument will track energetic neutral atoms, enabling scientists to map the composition of the heliosphere and the origins of these particles. Additionally, the Solar Wind Electron instrument is designed to monitor electrons emitted by solar winds, which flow continuously from the sun.

Ruth Skoug, a scientist involved in the project, explained, “The sun is the one star we’re close enough to study directly.” Tracking these solar winds will help determine the size and shape of the heliosphere and its boundaries with the interstellar medium, the matter found between stars.

LANL scientist Dan Reisenfeld provided an analogy to illustrate how the instruments will function, comparing their operation to a bat using sonar to navigate its environment. “It has to figure out how far away these things are,” he said. “But for the heliosphere, we use the solar wind as that pulse.”

Observations indicate that the heliosphere changes throughout the sun’s 11-year cycle, which can influence its protective capabilities. This variability can result in boundary fluctuations, akin to “breathing,” as described by Reisenfeld. In a recent event, the Solar Wind Electron instrument successfully tracked a major solar storm that occurred around Veterans Day, leading to stunning displays of the northern lights at lower latitudes than usual.

While the beauty of these phenomena is remarkable, the potential hazards posed by solar storms cannot be overlooked. Such events can disrupt power systems and present risks to astronauts in space. “We’re going to do even better on the next storm, with all the instruments on,” said Skoug, emphasizing the importance of understanding and predicting solar activity.

With these innovations, LANL is poised to make significant contributions to the field of solar research, enhancing our knowledge of the sun’s impact on our solar system and beyond.