NASA is set to launch a mission involving three rockets during the annular solar eclipse or the "ring of fire" solar eclipse this month. This ambitious endeavor aims to delve into how the sudden decrease in sunlight impacts the upper atmosphere.
During the upcoming annular eclipse on October 14, observers in the Americas will witness a remarkable celestial event where the sun's luminosity will diminish to just 10% of its usual brilliance. This phenomenon will leave a striking "ring of fire" effect as the moon passes in front of the sun.
But in the vicinity of the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, spectators might also witness an additional captivating sight: the trails of scientific rockets hurtling toward the shadow of the eclipse.
The APEP Mission of NASA
The NASA mission, called Atmospheric Perturbations around the Eclipse Path (APEP), is spearheaded by Aroh Barjatya, a professor of engineering physics at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. It aims to explore the impact of the abrupt reduction in sunlight on the upper layers of our atmosphere.
NASA noted that a distinctive electric charge permeates the air around 50 miles above the Earth's surface. This stratum, known as the ionosphere, comes to life due to the ultraviolet component of sunlight, which separates electrons from atoms, creating a realm of charged ions and electrons.
Throughout the day, the sun's steady energy keeps these particles apart. However, as the sun sets, many of these particles recombine into neutral atoms until daybreak, when they part ways once more.
The APEP team plans to launch three rockets in succession: one approximately 35 minutes before the eclipse's peak, another during the peak, and the third 35 minutes after.
Each rocket will carry four small scientific instruments designed to measure changes in electric and magnetic fields, density, and temperature. If the mission is successful, these measurements will mark the first time simultaneous data is collected from multiple points in the ionosphere during a solar eclipse.
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Sounding Rockets
Barjatya opted for sounding rockets in this mission due to their precision in targeting specific space regions and their ability to monitor changes at various altitudes during ascent and descent. The APEP rockets will gather data between 45 and 200 miles above ground along their flight path.
After the October mission in New Mexico, the APEP rockets will be retrieved and relaunched from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on April 8, 2024. This coincides with a total solar eclipse stretching from Texas to Maine.
While the April launch will be farther from the eclipse path compared to the October mission, they present a distinctive opportunity to assess the widespread impacts of an eclipse.
Given that the next total solar eclipse across the contiguous US is not anticipated until 2044, followed by an annular eclipse in 2046, Barjatya underscored the significance of maximizing the available opportunities for eclipse-related research.
"We have to make hay while the Sun shines... or, I suppose for eclipse science, while it doesn't," Barjatya quipped. "In all seriousness though, this data set will reveal the widespread effects that eclipses have on the ionosphere at the smallest spatial scales."
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