Soon, a NASA probe to explore the sun from a previously unheard-of vicinity. What exactly should be measured, has explained to us the sun a physicist Daniel Müller.
“Parker’s Solar Probe” is intended to mean the solar Mission of NASA
Deutsche Welle: In the summer of 2018, the NASA Mission is due to launch “Parker Solar Probe”. Thus, a probe goes to the very first Time in the atmosphere of the sun. Also, the European space Agency (ESA) is planning a sun mission, which is to begin in February 2019 with the “Solar Orbiter”. Mr Müller, what is it that makes the sun such a popular target?
Daniel Müller: The sun is the only star so close to earth that we can examine them in more Detail. Unlike other stars, we can investigate only their light from afar, but really close to flying and on the ground, the particles of the solar wind and measure. This is particularly relevant, because the sun makes our life on earth possible, and understand that’s why we have of course a great interest in the physical processes there, to expire.
The “Parker Solar Probe” is intended to approach the sun to about 6.5 million kilometers. S the probe is’not too hot?
No – thanks to a special heat shield. The probe will fly always so that this heat shield is directly aligned with the sun and all the instruments are protected behind it. It has been specially designed for the Mission, since the probe of the up to 450-fold is exposed to sunlight, compared with the intensity on the earth. The heat can not be used in the space reflected so is absorbed, heats up the carbon structure, up to 1400 degrees Celsius. On the back of the shield, the temperature remains so low that the sensitive devices can work.
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The secrets of the sun on the trail
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The secrets of the sun on the trail
What do the instruments measure?
The “Parker Solar Probe”Mission has four instruments on Board. Among other things, to measure the particles of the solar wind – mainly electrons and ions – in order to understand how these Wind flows from the sun and other stars, does not work.
In addition, there is on Board a so-called Coronograph, which can photograph the faint outer solar atmosphere, the corona,. From this small distance, you can monitor any camera directly at the sun, as they would immediately burn.
The corona, the outer atmosphere of the sun is over a Million degrees Celsius, considerably hotter than the surface of the sun 6000 degrees Celsius. How is this explained?
Right, so you wouldn’t expect in the first place. There are different approaches to explanation. The most promising conjecture is that it has to do with magnetic fields. The sun is a magnetic object that produces a kind of Dynamo process by moving charges in a magnetic field. This magnetic field can build, basically, a voltage, by being twisted. Because the sun rotates, but not as a rigid body, but at the Equator faster than the poles. The magnetic field lines are twisted with the time – a bit like a rubber band. At some point, it springs back and releases large amounts of energy. Which is, in turn, distributed on magnetic waves, the so-called Alfvénwellen, in the atmosphere and heats it.
Daniel Müller, project scientist for the ESA Mission “Solar Orbiter”
Now the sun has also a great importance for the earth and its inhabitants. We can understand through the exploration of the solar processes on the earth better?
An important issue in the area that is referred to as space weather. Our technologically advanced civilization, for example, is increasingly dependent on satellite communication. These signals in the earth’s upper atmosphere can be disrupted by intense solar activity. It is one of the long-term goals, the dynamics of the sun and the Break out of matter, to be able to, for example, in the Form of plasma clouds, to predict. This is of course very difficult. Even the weather predict on the earth more than a few days, not done so far, finally, reliable.
Nevertheless, we try to understand on the basis of the data, as well as possible, what is happening on the sun. Ideal way it is possible to us to predict which damage to satellites can occur and to take appropriate precautions in time. The concerns as to the safety of astronauts working on the International space station.
You work for the ESA Mission “Solar Orbiter”. What are the objectives?
“Solar Orbiter” is very complementary, “Parker Solar Probe”, and we work closely together to achieve the greatest possible gain in knowledge. The main focus of the “Solar Orbiter” is to make the first pictures of the polar regions of the sun. You expected maybe, but we have no pictures of it, because all of the previous missions have remained more or less in the same plane in which the planets revolve around the sun.
The ESA would like to to the sun – in February 2019 with the probe, “Solar Orbiter”
It was in the 80s and 90s, the Mission Ulysses, a joint project of ESA and NASA, which has flown over the poles of the sun, but no cameras on Board. You could measure the solar wind over the poles, but no pictures. To do this, you must build up the momentum, what are we to make of Venus. This is so similar to the Billiards, that you fly to a planet and part of its gravitational energy used to get out of the orbital plane to fly out.
The second goal is also closer to the sun. In connection with the change of the plane of its Orbit we can but not so close as the “Parker Solar Probe”. With ten instruments we have, however, significantly more scientific experiments on Board. The NASA colleagues are very interested to work with “Solar Orbiter” together, because we can deliver the images for the context, where is your probe just flies by. To cameras, the the sun photograph in the optical than in the UV-spectrum and the magnetic field on their surface can be measured.
The sun physicist Dr. Daniel Müller is the project scientist for the ESA Mission “Solar Orbiter” – space research and technology centre (ESTEC) working on the European World in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
The Interview was conducted by Jonas Schönfelder.
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Hot, huge and sometimes dangerousAncient Ball Of Fire
Our sun many billions of years before there were humans. It was created together with the planets of our solar system from a cloud of gas, and is approximately 4.6 billion years old. Probably it will seem once more five billion years, as long as the energy of the sun’s material is sufficient.
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Hot, huge and sometimes dangerousEnergy monster
The sun is basically a giant nuclear fusion reactor: the Inside pressure and temperature are so high that hydrogen atoms fuse together to form helium atoms, mass is energy. A thimble full of sun material produces as much energy as the combustion of more than a thousand tons of coal.
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Hot, huge and sometimes dangerous100 times larger than the earth
Of the earth from the sun doesn’t seem so great – sometimes it only appears as a bright spot in the sky. Actually, the sun has a Radius of about 700,000 kilometers. In the center, the temperatures are more than 15 million degrees Celsius. On the surface, there are still about 5500 degrees.
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Hot, huge and sometimes dangerousOne of a billion stars
What are all the stars in the universe have in common: they Shine, because you generate in your Internal energy. Our sun is a of these many billions of stars. In comparison with other it is medium in size, Some suns are a hundred times bigger, other times smaller.
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Hot, huge and sometimes dangerousSeething Sun
On the surface of the sun, it sizzles: Hot and thus bright Material rises from the Interior of the sun to the top, where it cools down and warms up as darker Material back down. Our sun is the earth as a single star so close that astronomers can observe these processes at the interface in detail.
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Hot, huge and sometimes dangerousThe Fascination Of Sun Spots
Sometimes the sun has large, dark spots that remain for about a month. Even before the birth of Christ, the people have discovered the and Galileo Galilei has you logged. Where you come from, was unknown for a long time. Today we know that The dark sun spots are areas on the sun’s surface where the magnetic field is particularly strong.
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Hot, huge and sometimes dangerousDangerous Solar Storms
If the activity of the sun is particularly high, these storms are called solar, in which many charged particles from the sun are thrown. These particles can even hit the satellite and destroy, transformer stations interfere on earth, and in the worst case of power failure. .
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Hot, huge and sometimes dangerousWhen the sky lights up
The most beautiful pages of the sun from see storms: polar lights. They occur when charged particles from the sun to the earth’s atmosphere. How many times can you watch this spectacle, varies with the solar cycle: Every 11 years the sun’s activity is particularly high, then there are many solar storms and polar lights.
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Hot, huge and sometimes dangerousOne last tip
Please never easy as in a solar Eclipse look! Because even if the moon passes in front of the sun, and partially hidden from view, it is extremely bright. Who does not protect his eyes, risked serious damage. The retina that can literally burn. Well, that there are special Sofi-glasses. Tendon even stylish, or?