Aditya-L1 Mission:
- India’s first solar mission dedicated to studying the Sun.
- Launched by ISRO, with the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (VELC) payload developed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru.
- Observation – Flareless Coronal Mass Ejection (CME):
- Scientists observed a CME with no associated solar flare—a rare occurrence.
- Instrument Used: VELC onboard Aditya-L1 allows:
- Closer observation of the solar corona (outer layer of the Sun’s atmosphere).
- High-frequency data collection in shorter time intervals than other coronagraphs in orbit.
- Magnetic Instability Insight:
- Data helps distinguish between magnetic instabilities causing flares and CMEs.
- Understanding the origin and relationship between these phenomena is a major goal of the VELC.
- Importance of CME Monitoring:
- With the Sun nearing the maximum phase of Solar Cycle 25, CME occurrences are expected to increase.
- Continuous monitoring with VELC provides valuable data for the Indian and global scientific community.
- The VELC’s unique design enables better tracking of CMEs near the solar limb and their onset time.
- Difference Between Flares and CMEs:
- Flares:
- Sudden release of electromagnetic radiation due to magnetic reconnection.
- CMEs:
- Massive eruptions of plasma and magnetic fields (~trillion kg in mass).
- Travel at speeds up to 3,000 km/s through interplanetary space.
- Ambiguous Association: Despite being linked to magnetic activity, the exact connection between flares and CMEs remains unclear.
- Flares:
