NASA, with the help of citizens, reveals new insights into the Sun's impact on Earth through solar eclipse research

(Representative Image: Canva)

On April 8, 2024, a total solar eclipse swept across North America, offering scientists and volunteers a rare opportunity to study the Sun’s effects on Earth. NASA supported several research projects, including citizen-led efforts, to understand how the Sun influences our planet’s atmosphere.

At a press briefing on December 10, 2024, scientists at the American Geophysical Union meeting shared their initial findings. Kelly Korreck, NASA’s eclipse program manager, noted the key role of volunteers in these experiments.

Citizen CATE Project Captures Stunning Images of the Sun’s Corona

The Citizen CATE 2024 project involved 35 teams stationed from Texas to Maine. Their goal was to capture images of the Sun’s outer atmosphere, or corona, during totality. Despite some challenges from clouds, most teams successfully collected over 47,000 images.

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The images were taken in polarized light to better understand the processes shaping the corona. Sarah Kovac, the project manager, revealed that these images would eventually form part of an hour-long movie. She praised the community participation in the project’s success.

NASA Aircraft Extend Eclipse Observation Time

In addition to ground-based research, two NASA WB-57 aircraft flew above the eclipse’s shadow to extend observation time. Equipped with cameras and spectrometers, the aircraft captured valuable data on the corona, despite some unexpected vibrations causing blurry images. However, the spectrometers remained unaffected and provided excellent data.

Shadia Habbal, a scientist from the University of Hawaii, shared that the aircraft’s observations were highly successful. She expressed optimism about using the aircraft for future eclipse research.

Ham Radio Operators Help Study Ionosphere Changes

Amateur radio operators also contributed to the research, sending signals before, during, and after the eclipse. Over 6,350 participants gathered 52 million data points to study how the eclipse affected radio signals and the ionosphere.

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Nathaniel Frissell, lead of the HamSCI project, explained that communications improved at some frequencies during totality. The ionosphere’s altitude changed during the eclipse, offering valuable insights into solar activity’s impact on Earth’s atmosphere.

Student Research Tracks Atmospheric Effects of the Eclipse

The Nationwide Eclipse Ballooning Project, led by NASA and Montana State University, sent students to launch weather balloons during the eclipse. These balloons carried sensors to study the atmospheric changes caused by the eclipse’s shadow.

The research confirmed that eclipses create atmospheric gravity waves, similar to ripples on water. Jie Gong of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center commended the students for their hard work, which contributed to understanding the eclipse’s effects on Earth’s atmosphere.

NASA’s solar eclipse research has provided new insights into how the Sun influences our planet. These studies, involving both professionals and citizen scientists, will continue to shape our understanding of solar activity and its effects on Earth.