A Multi‐Purpose Heliophysics L4 Mission
Abstract The Earth‐Sun Lagrangian point 4 is a meta‐stable location at 1 AU from the Sun, 60° ahead of Earth's orbit. It has an uninterrupted view of the solar photosphere centered on W60, the Earth's nominal magnetic field connection to the Sun. Such a mission on its own would serve as a...
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| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2021-09-01
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| Series: | Space Weather |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2021SW002777 |
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| author | A. Posner C. N. Arge J. Staub O. C. StCyr D. Folta S. K. Solanki R. D. T. Strauss F. Effenberger A. Gandorfer B. Heber C. J. Henney J. Hirzberger S. I. Jones P. Kühl O. Malandraki V. J. Sterken |
| author_facet | A. Posner C. N. Arge J. Staub O. C. StCyr D. Folta S. K. Solanki R. D. T. Strauss F. Effenberger A. Gandorfer B. Heber C. J. Henney J. Hirzberger S. I. Jones P. Kühl O. Malandraki V. J. Sterken |
| author_sort | A. Posner |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The Earth‐Sun Lagrangian point 4 is a meta‐stable location at 1 AU from the Sun, 60° ahead of Earth's orbit. It has an uninterrupted view of the solar photosphere centered on W60, the Earth's nominal magnetic field connection to the Sun. Such a mission on its own would serve as a solar remote sensing observatory that would oversee the entire solar radiation hemisphere with significant relevance for protecting Moon and Mars explorers from radiation exposure. In combination with appropriately planned observatories at L1 and L5, the three spacecraft would provide 300° longitude coverage of photospheric magnetic field structure, and allow continuous viewing of both solar poles, with >3.6° elevation. Ideally, the L4 and L5 missions would orbit the Sun with a 7.2° inclination out of the heliographic equator, 14.5° out of the ecliptic plane. We discuss the impact of extending solar magnetic field observations in both longitude and latitude to improve global solar wind modeling and, with the development of local helioseismology, the potential for long‐term solar activity forecasting. Such a mission would provide a unique opportunity for interplanetary and interstellar dust science. It would significantly add to reliability of operational observations on fast coronal mass ejections directed at Earth and for human Mars explorers on their round‐trip journey. The L4 mission concept is technically feasible, and is scientifically compelling. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-a1ea5a92f9e64f3d9645f94d946c5b90 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1542-7390 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2021-09-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Space Weather |
| spelling | doaj-art-a1ea5a92f9e64f3d9645f94d946c5b902025-01-14T16:26:53ZengWileySpace Weather1542-73902021-09-01199n/an/a10.1029/2021SW002777A Multi‐Purpose Heliophysics L4 MissionA. Posner0C. N. Arge1J. Staub2O. C. StCyr3D. Folta4S. K. Solanki5R. D. T. Strauss6F. Effenberger7A. Gandorfer8B. Heber9C. J. Henney10J. Hirzberger11S. I. Jones12P. Kühl13O. Malandraki14V. J. Sterken15NASA/HQ Washington DC USANASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USAMax‐Planck‐Institut für Sonnensystemforschung Göttingen GermanyNASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USANASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USAMax‐Planck‐Institut für Sonnensystemforschung Göttingen GermanyNorth‐West University Potchefstroom South AfricaRuhr‐Universität Bochum Bochum GermanyMax‐Planck‐Institut für Sonnensystemforschung Göttingen GermanyChristian Albrechts‐Universität Kiel GermanyAir Force Research Laboratory Kirtland AFB Kirtland NM USAMax‐Planck‐Institut für Sonnensystemforschung Göttingen GermanyNASA Goddard Space Flight Center Greenbelt MD USAChristian Albrechts‐Universität Kiel GermanyNational Observatory of Athens/IAASARS Penteli GreeceETH Zurich Zurich SwitzerlandAbstract The Earth‐Sun Lagrangian point 4 is a meta‐stable location at 1 AU from the Sun, 60° ahead of Earth's orbit. It has an uninterrupted view of the solar photosphere centered on W60, the Earth's nominal magnetic field connection to the Sun. Such a mission on its own would serve as a solar remote sensing observatory that would oversee the entire solar radiation hemisphere with significant relevance for protecting Moon and Mars explorers from radiation exposure. In combination with appropriately planned observatories at L1 and L5, the three spacecraft would provide 300° longitude coverage of photospheric magnetic field structure, and allow continuous viewing of both solar poles, with >3.6° elevation. Ideally, the L4 and L5 missions would orbit the Sun with a 7.2° inclination out of the heliographic equator, 14.5° out of the ecliptic plane. We discuss the impact of extending solar magnetic field observations in both longitude and latitude to improve global solar wind modeling and, with the development of local helioseismology, the potential for long‐term solar activity forecasting. Such a mission would provide a unique opportunity for interplanetary and interstellar dust science. It would significantly add to reliability of operational observations on fast coronal mass ejections directed at Earth and for human Mars explorers on their round‐trip journey. The L4 mission concept is technically feasible, and is scientifically compelling.https://doi.org/10.1029/2021SW002777space weathersolar windsolar energetic particlessolar remote sensingorbital analysiscosmic dust |
| spellingShingle | A. Posner C. N. Arge J. Staub O. C. StCyr D. Folta S. K. Solanki R. D. T. Strauss F. Effenberger A. Gandorfer B. Heber C. J. Henney J. Hirzberger S. I. Jones P. Kühl O. Malandraki V. J. Sterken A Multi‐Purpose Heliophysics L4 Mission Space Weather space weather solar wind solar energetic particles solar remote sensing orbital analysis cosmic dust |
| title | A Multi‐Purpose Heliophysics L4 Mission |
| title_full | A Multi‐Purpose Heliophysics L4 Mission |
| title_fullStr | A Multi‐Purpose Heliophysics L4 Mission |
| title_full_unstemmed | A Multi‐Purpose Heliophysics L4 Mission |
| title_short | A Multi‐Purpose Heliophysics L4 Mission |
| title_sort | multi purpose heliophysics l4 mission |
| topic | space weather solar wind solar energetic particles solar remote sensing orbital analysis cosmic dust |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2021SW002777 |
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