Multi-site Observations of the 2017 Eclipse Across America

2017 年全美日食的多地点观测

• 批准号: 1733542
• 负责人: Shadia Habbal
• 金额: $ 7.5万
• 依托单位: University of Hawaii
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2017
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2017-09-01 至 2019-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1733542&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: Multi; site; Observations; 2017; Eclipse

This project will support astronomical observations of the 2017 Great American eclipse that will track across the United States on August 21, 2017. Total solar eclipse crossings of the United States are extremely rare events; the last time a total solar eclipse crossed the Continental U.S. from coast to coast was June 18, 1918. Eclipses offer a unique scientific opportunity to study the corona of the Sun. The corona is the outer atmosphere of the Sun, which although very hot (3-4 million degrees F), is very faint when compared to the light from the solar disk. During a total solar eclipse the moon blocks the light from the solar disk allowing scientists to study this tenuous corona where many of the phenomena collectively known as space weather are generated. This project will observe the 2017 eclipse from three different vantage points separated by hundreds of miles in order to minimize the risks due to weather and to maximize the potential science. The project involves the training of students and the PI has a proven track record of reaching out to the public regarding eclipse science. This project will take advantage of this total solar eclipse to perform spectral line observations of the solar corona from its base out to a distance of 8 solar radii. This lower region of the solar corona is inaccessible to current ground and space-based facilities. The project will explore the physical properties of the coronal plasma in the source regions of the solar wind and potentially study any coronal mass ejections that might occur during the observations. To perform the observations the PI will use three identically instrumented telescope sites separated by hundreds of miles to observe the eclipse. The telescopes will be equipped with triple-channel imaging spectrometers with channels centered on coronal emission lines of Fe X 637.4 nm, FE XI 789.2 nm and Fe XIV 530.3 nm with a bandpass of 70 nm for each channel. This will provide information on the continuum light and line emission from elements like Iron (Fe), Argon (Ar) and Nickel (Ni). These will be the first ever observations of the spectral lines of Ar X, Ar XI, Ar XIII, Fe XV, Ni XIII and Ni XV. The project also offers a unique opportunity of education and outreach that will have lasting effects on STEM education well beyond the 2017 event. Students from PI's institution will be engaged in solar physics and astronomy research and education. The project will, thus, serve to inspire and train the next generation of astronomers. In addition the PI has been an outspoken advocate for solar physics and eclipse science.

该项目将支持 2017 年美国大日食的天文观测，该日食将于 2017 年 8 月 21 日穿越美国。日全食穿越美国是极其罕见的事件；上一次日全食从一个海岸到另一个海岸穿越美国大陆是在 1918 年 6 月 18 日。日食为研究日冕提供了独特的科学机会。 日冕是太阳的外层大气，虽然非常热（3-400万华氏度），但与日盘发出的光相比却非常微弱。 在日全食期间，月球阻挡了日盘发出的光线，使科学家能够研究这个脆弱的日冕，许多统称为太空天气的现象就是在日冕中产生的。 该项目将从相距数百英里的三个不同有利位置观测 2017 年日食，以最大限度地减少天气造成的风险并最大限度地发挥科学潜力。 该项目涉及对学生的培训，PI 在向公众宣传日食科学方面有着良好的记录。 该项目将利用这次日全食，对日冕从其底部到 8 个太阳半径的距离进行谱线观测。 目前的地面和太空设施无法到达日冕的这一较低区域。该项目将探索太阳风源区日冕等离子体的物理特性，并可能研究观测期间可能发生的任何日冕物质抛射。 为了进行观测，PI 将使用三个相距数百英里、配备相同仪器的望远镜站点来观测日食。 这些望远镜将配备三通道成像光谱仪，通道以 Fe X 637.4 nm、FE XI 789.2 nm 和 Fe XIV 530.3 nm 日冕发射线为中心，每个通道的带通为 70 nm。 这将提供有关铁 (Fe)、氩 (Ar) 和镍 (Ni) 等元素的连续光和线发射的信息。 这将是首次观测到 Ar X、Ar XI、Ar XIII、Fe XV、Ni XIII 和 Ni XV 的谱线。 该项目还提供了一次独特的教育和推广机会，将对 STEM 教育产生持久影响，其影响将远远超出 2017 年的活动。 PI所在机构的学生将从事太阳物理和天文学的研究和教育。 因此，该项目将有助于激励和培训下一代天文学家。 此外，PI 一直是太阳物理学和日食科学的直言不讳的倡导者。