Aditya L1 in space: IIT Kanpur aims to solve Sun's temperature mystery

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur is set to unravel the enigma of the Sun's temperature paradox with data from Isro's Aditya L-1 mission.

The mission aims to understand why the temperature around the Sun's inner layers remains 6000 degrees Celsius, but escalates to a staggering 1 million degrees Celsius in the outer layers known as the Corona. This temperature variation is contrary to expectations of the laws of physics, which state that temperature should decrease with distance.

The Aditya L-1 mission, India's first space-based solar observatory, is designed to study the Sun from a significant distance of 1.5 million kilometers.

The mission's successful launch has sparked excitement among IIT Kanpur scientists, including Professor Gopal Hazra and Professor Amitesh Omar, who are eagerly awaiting the data for their research.

Prof. Hazra explained that Aditya L-1 will orbit around the Sun's Lagrange point, a large orbit that takes approximately six months to complete.

The spacecraft is equipped with a special device that allows it to view the Sun as if in a total solar eclipse, enabling accurate measurement of the Sun's aura. This data will be instrumental in conducting new research related to the Sun's temperature and other mysteries.

In addition to solving the temperature paradox, the Aditya L-1 mission will also contribute to meteorological studies and satellite protection.

The equipment on Aditya L-1 can provide warnings to safeguard satellites from intermittent solar blasts, a significant advancement for space weather forecasting.

The team at IIT Kanpur's Department of Space, Planetary and Astronomical Sciences and Engineering is ready to analyse the data as soon as it is received in the coming months.

The resolution of the Sun's temperature mystery could potentially revolutionise our understanding of solar dynamics and have far-reaching implications for space weather prediction and satellite protection.