Solar Instruments & Useful Links

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This page contains a description of some major solar observing instruments as well as some useful links and random notes.

Solar Observing Instruments

  • Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array: VLA is the instrument I am currently exploiting. It has been recently upgraded and now serves as the most powerful instrument currently available for solar radio observation. It can observe the Sun with unprecedented high spatial, spectral and temporal resolution with instantaneous bandwidth radios as large as 2:1 in 1-8 GHz.
  • Owens Valley Solar Array: OVSA is a solar-dedicated radio array operated by the New Jersey Institute of Technology. It is now undergoing a major expansion. Once completed (expected in 2013), it will have the capability of doing dynamic imaging spectroscopy with a 500 MHz instantaneous bandwidth that sweeps the entire bandwidth of 1-18 GHz.
  • Nobeyama Radioheliograph: NoRH is a Japanese solar-dedicated radio array consisting of 84 antennas, which has been operated since 1992. It can image the full Sun in two microwave frequencies - 17 GHz and 34 GHz.
  • Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager: RHESSI was launched in 2002. It has been a powerful and reliable space-based HXR imager that routinely observe the Sun with high spatial, spectral and temporal resolution covering a wide energy range from SXR to gamma-ray wavelengths.
  • Solar Dynamics Observatory: SDO is a space-based solar telescope as part of the NASA Living With a Star program. Since its launch in 2010, it has been the best imaging instrument (with the Atmospheric Imaging Assembly) in several extreme ultraviolet bands. It also has the ability of taking high-resolution measurements of the photospheric magnetic field (with the Helioseismic and Magnetic Imager).
  • HINODE (Solar-B): Hinode is a joint mission of Japan, Europe and USA. It provides excellent imaging observations in optical and SXR wavelengths. It also has the ability to do imaging spectroscopy in extre ultraviolet wavelengths, as well as photospheric magnetic field measurements.
  • Big Bear Solar Observatory: BBSO's New Solar Telescope is the most advanced ground-based solar telescope to date with an 1.6-meter primary mirror and adaptive optics system. the NST features ultra-high resolution imaging in optical and infrared wavelengths.
  • Solar TErrestial RElations Observatory: STEREO, a set of two satellites - one ahead of Earth in its orbit, the other trailing behind - provides observations of the Sun in optical, EUV, and radio wavelengths from two different perspectives.
  • Frequency Agile Solar Radiotelescope: FASR is the next generation solar radio telescope currently under development. It is an ultra-wideband radio array designed to image the Sun and its atmosphere over a frequency range of 50 MHz to more than 20 GHz in high spatial and spectral resolution.
  • Chinese Spectral Radio Heliograph: CSRH is a major solar radio telescope under construction. Upon completion, the 100-element interferometer will provide imaging spectroscopic observation of the Sun from 0.4 GHz to 15 GHz.
  • GOES Space Enviroment Monitor: provides soft X-ray total intensity data continuously since 1974. SXR images are available from 2003 by the Soft X-ray Imager.
  • Transition Region and Coronal Explorer: TRACE is a high angular and temporal resolution EUV imager operated from 1998 to 2010.
  • Solar and Heliospheric Observatory: SOHO was launched in 1995 and is still operating. It consists of twelve different instruments observing the Sun in optical and EUV wavelengths. SOHO/MDI is the predecessor of SDO/HMI making photospheric magnetic field measurements.

Data Access Links

Miscellaneous Links and Notes