Solar maximum mission

Journal Article · Fri May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1981 · Astronomy; (United States)

OSTI ID:5756561

Ryan, J

By understanding the sun, astrophysicists hope to expand this knowledge to understanding other stars. To study the sun, NASA launched a satellite on February 14, 1980. The project is named the Solar Maximum Mission (SMM). The satellite conducted detailed observations of the sun in collaboration with other satellites and ground-based optical and radio observations until its failure 10 months into the mission. The main objective of the SMM was to investigate one aspect of solar activity: solar flares. A brief description of the flare mechanism is given. The SMM satellite was valuable in providing information on where and how a solar flare occurs. A sequence of photographs of a solar flare taken from SMM satellite shows how a solar flare develops in a particular layer of the solar atmosphere. Two flares especially suitable for detailed observations by a joint effort occurred on April 30 and May 21 of 1980. These flares and observations of the flares are discussed. Also discussed are significant discoveries made by individual experiments. (SC)

• Research Organization: Univ. of New Hampshire, Durham
• OSTI ID: 5756561
• Journal Information: Astronomy; (United States), Journal Name: Astronomy; (United States) Vol. 9:5; ISSN ASTRD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640104* -- Astrophysics & Cosmology-- Solar Phenomena
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
ATMOSPHERES
CHROMOSPHERE
COLLISIONS
ELECTROMAGNETIC RADIATION
EMISSION SPECTRA
GAMMA RADIATION
IONIZING RADIATIONS
MAGNETIC FIELDS
MAIN SEQUENCE STARS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
PHOTOSPHERE
PLASMA
RADIATIONS
SATELLITES
SHOCK WAVES
SOLAR ACTIVITY
SOLAR ATMOSPHERE
SOLAR CORONA
SOLAR FLARES
SPECTRA
STARS
SUN
SUNSPOTS
X-RAY SPECTRA