New data from NASA's Coronal Diagnostic Experiment (CODEX) is providing scientists with unprecedented insights into the solar wind. The findings, presented at the American Astronomical Society meeting in Anchorage, Alaska, detail the speed and temperature of plasma emanating from the sun's corona.
The images showcase the corona as a dynamic region characterized by hot plasma gusts, rather than a uniform flow. This understanding is crucial due to the solar wind's direct impact on Earth and its technology.
CODEX, a solar coronagraph on the International Space Station, utilizes occulting disks to block the sun's bright face, creating artificial eclipses. This allows for detailed study of the faint corona and its features, including solar storms. Unlike previous instruments, CODEX measures the temperature and speed of the solar wind using four narrow-band filters.
Jeffrey Newmark, a heliophysicist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and CODEX principal investigator, highlighted the instrument's unique capabilities. These observations are brand new and offer significant scientific potential. The measurements will allow for a more accurate characterization of the energy at the solar wind's source.
The data from CODEX will be integrated into space weather models, improving the accuracy of predictions regarding solar events. This will aid in protecting satellites, communication systems, and power grids from disruptions caused by solar activity. The instrument will play a critical role in future space exploration.