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Home  » News » Antarctica research station to send solar flare data

Antarctica research station to send solar flare data

November 01, 2003 11:05 IST
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The Indian research station at Antarctica -- Maitri -- will send to the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism in Mumbai the data recorded after the solar flare of October 28.

Maitri has been continuously recording the signatures of the aurora from the giant sunspot 486.

The research station, which also has IIG scientists, will be sending the data collected since October 24.

Senior IIG scientist Dr Shobana Alex said the data, which will be transmitted online, will help a coordinated study of low and high latitude solar storm dynamics and of the geomagnetic effect of the coronal mass ejection from the volatile sun.

Normally the data comes to the IIG headquarters in Mumbai when the scientists return from Antarctica. "But as a special case, to study the extreme solar flare's effect, the data will be sent from there online," Dr Alex said.

Dr Ajay Dhar, scientist in-charge, said digital fluxgate magnetometer is used at Maitri to record the auroral effects.

On volatility of sun, Alex said it still continues to be very active and the Alibaug [magnetic observatory in Raigarh district of Maharashtra] record shows some important findings, which are being analysed.

Although Maitri is experiencing summer now, the auroral absorption due to particle precipitation could be recorded by the magnetometer continuously, Dr Alex said.

On October 29, the world's premier magnetic observatory at Alibaug had recorded the 'geo-effect' of solar flare within 19 hours.

About 144 years back in 1859, the Colaba Observatory in Mumbai, which was shifted to Alibaug later, had made similar recording of such extreme 'geo-effect' just 17 hours and 40 minutes after the solar flare.

 

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