Dr Aroh Barjatya, an Indian-origin scientist, who is a Professor of Engineering Physics and Director of the Space and Atmospheric Instrumentation Lab (SAIL) at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, is set to lead the multi-institution NASA rocket mission on October 14 during the Annular Solar Eclipse to study the effects of eclipses on our upper atmosphere, also known as the ionosphere.
The eclipse on October 14, 2023, is an annular solar eclipse, also called a "ring of fire", and will be visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America.
APEP mission: Rockets to explore upper atmosphere changes
Barjatya's Atmospheric Perturbations around the Eclipse Path (APEP) sounding rocket mission will send three rockets from NASA’s White Sands Test Facility in Las Cruces, New Mexico, at the same moment when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, producing the captivating "ring of fire" effect. The main objective is to know how the upper atmosphere will change during the eclipse, especially the moment when there would be a sudden reduction in light.
Also read: Astronauts to embark on spacewalks for science and space station hardware upgrades
Solar eclipse alters the Earth's atmosphere, impacting radio communication
When a solar eclipse occurs it leads to significant alterations in Earth's upper atmosphere. These alterations have the potential to influence radio communication both in the air and on the ground. The ionosphere encounters fluctuations in temperature and density during a solar eclipse, posing disruptions to satellite communications, including GPS systems. The mission's objective is to gain knowledge about these phenomena. Analyzing the solar eclipse will give valuable information about how eclipses affect the ionosphere. This data will enable scientists to enhance their understanding and forecast eclipse-related impacts on satellite communications in forthcoming occurrences.
Rocket launches to probe the eclipse's effects on the ionosphere
The APEP team has devised a strategy involving the sequential launch of three rockets. The first rocket will take off 35 minutes prior to the peak of the eclipse, the second will launch precisely at the eclipse's peak during the annular phase when the Moon completely covers the Sun, and the third will undertake 35 minutes after this peak moment. These launches aim to study the eclipse shadow's impact on the ionosphere.
In addition to the rocket launches, a group of students from Embry-Riddle will deploy high-altitude balloons, which will ascend to heights of up to 100,000 feet. These balloons will be launched at intervals of 20 minutes, allowing for the measurement of weather changes as the eclipse passes by.
Also Read: Annular Solar Eclipse on October 14: What, when, and how to observe
Sounding rockets for accurate space data
As stated in a NASA document, Dr Barjatya chose to use sounding rockets because of their capacity to target and measure exact regions of space with extreme accuracy. Additionally, these rockets can record changes at various altitudes as they soar into suborbital space and return to Earth.
Rockets to also soar during total solar eclipse
This is not the only launch for the APEP. The APEP rockets launched in New Mexico will be recovered and launched again from NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia on April 8, 2024, when a total solar eclipse will cross from Texas to Maine in the United States.
How Annular Solar Eclipse forms
An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth while it is at its farthest point from Earth. Because the Moon is farther away from Earth, it appears smaller than the Sun and does not completely block the Sun. Instead, it leaves a bright ring of Sun visible at the peak of the eclipse. So, this eclipse is often referred to as a “ring of fire”.
Meaning of 'annular'
The term 'Annular' originates from the Latin word 'annulus', which means a ring. The visibility of an annular eclipse varies depending on your location. To witness all stages of an annular eclipse, you must observe it from a position along the path of annularity. This refers to the areas on Earth where the Moon will seem to move directly across the Sun's center. People located outside the path of annularity will only witness a partial solar eclipse.
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