Why India's latest Sun mission finding is crucial for the world

The Sun is the largest object in our solar system, and it plays a crucial role in our existence. Recently, scientists in India announced a significant breakthrough from their solar observation mission called Aditya-L1. This mission is India's first attempt to study the Sun from space, and the findings could be vital in protecting our power grids and communication satellites from potential solar threats. On July 16, one of the key instruments aboard Aditya-L1, known as the Visible Emission Line Coronagraph (Velc), successfully captured data that allowed scientists to determine the exact moment a coronal mass ejection (CME) began. CMEs are enormous bursts of solar energy and charged particles that can travel at astonishing speeds, sometimes reaching up to 3,000 kilometers per second. Professor R Ramesh, who leads the Velc project, explained that a CME can weigh as much as a trillion kilograms and can travel in any direction, including towards Earth. 'If a CME is heading our way, it could reach us in about 15 hours,' he said. The CME observed on July 16 started at 1:08 PM GMT, but it changed direction and did not impact Earth's weather. The Sun's corona, which is its outer layer, is only visible during a total solar eclipse when the moon blocks the bright surface of the Sun. Solar storms, flares, and CMEs can significantly affect Earth's weather and the space environment where thousands of satellites operate. While these solar events rarely pose a direct threat to human life, they can disrupt technology on Earth by interfering with the magnetic field. For instance, they can create beautiful auroras near the poles, but stronger CMEs can cause auroras to appear in places like London or France. However, the real danger lies in space, where the charged particles from a CME can damage satellite electronics, knock out power grids, and disrupt communication systems. 'Our modern lives depend heavily on communication satellites, and a CME can disrupt the internet, phone lines, and radio communications,' Professor Ramesh warned. The most powerful solar storm recorded in history occurred in 1859, known as the Carrington Event, which caused widespread disruptions to telegraph systems. Scientists have noted that a similarly powerful storm nearly hit Earth in 2012, but fortunately, it missed us and instead impacted a NASA solar observatory in space. In 1989, a CME caused a blackout in Quebec, leaving millions without power, and in 2015, a CME disrupted air traffic control in Sweden and other European airports. Scientists believe that if we can monitor the Sun and detect solar storms or CMEs in real-time, we can take precautions to protect our technology. The Aditya-L1 mission, named after the Hindu Sun god, represents a significant advancement for India in solar research. It can continuously observe the Sun, even during eclipses, and conduct scientific studies. Professor Ramesh explained that when we view the Sun from Earth, we see only its bright surface, but during a total eclipse, we can glimpse the corona. The Velc instrument on Aditya-L1 has a unique advantage over other solar observatories because it can provide an uninterrupted view of the corona, allowing scientists to track the origins and paths of CMEs more accurately. India also operates three ground-based observatories that work in conjunction with Aditya-L1 to enhance our understanding of the Sun. By combining data from these observatories with the findings from Aditya-L1, scientists hope to gain deeper insights into solar activity and its effects on our planet.