Why in the news?

  • Using the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) payload in Aditya-L1, scientists at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), along with NASA, have collaborated to estimate the crucial parameters of a coronal mass ejection (CME), very close to its lift-off from the sun.

Aditya-L1 Mission

  • Launching Agency:  Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
  • Objectives
    • Coronal Heating and Solar Wind Acceleration;
    • Initiation of Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), flares and near-earth space weather;
    • Solar wind distribution and temperature anisotropy etc.
  • Launch Vehicle: Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV) XL.
  • Placing: It would be placed into a point in space known as the L1 Lagrange point.
  • Achievements 
    • Captured images of Sun through payloads SUIT and VELC. 
    • Completion of First Halo Orbit in July – Aditya-L1 in the Halo orbit takes 178 days to complete a revolution around the L1 point.

Coronal Mass Ejection (CME)

  • Definition: A Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) is a massive burst of plasma and magnetic field released from the Sun’s outer atmosphere (the corona) into space.
  • Origin
    • CMEs occur during solar flares or from active magnetic regions on the Sun.
    • They are caused by the sudden release of magnetic energy when twisted magnetic field lines reconnect and eject solar material.
  • Effects
    • Geomagnetic Storms: Disturb the Earth’s magnetic field, cause auroras, and may disrupt satellites, GPS, radio networks, and power grids.
    • Radiation Hazards: Increase radiation levels harmful to astronauts and high-altitude flights.
    • Space Weather Impact: Influence communication systems, navigation, and even pipeline currents on Earth.