Solar Observing Optical Network
Encyclopedia
The Solar Observing Optical Network (SOON) consists of three U.S. Air Force Air Weather Service observatories. The Air Force operates a solar telescope
at each site to monitor solar active regions at optical wavelengths. NGDC archives histograms of intensity versus area every minute for the active regions as well as magnetogram
s of the magnetic field structure and tachograms of plasma velocities on an irregular schedule.
The basic SOON telescope is a 25-centimeter evacuated refractor mounted on a polar axis. It has a tunable monochromatic filter centered on the hydrogen-alpha absorption line (6562.8A) of the solar spectrum. Shifting the filter characteristics slightly off center from the H-alpha peak results in pictures of the solar surface region at differing depths. Corresponding to the optical images of solar regions are the digital "brightness-area" data. These data are often plotted as brightness-area histograms for a particular time or, in a 3-3-dimensional display, showing a time sequence of changing intensity of optical emissions from areas of solar active regions. Each digital scan of a region describes the amount of solar surface area within a pre-set rectangular viewing grid that is of brightness level N, where N ranges from 1 to 64 and represents the gray scale range from black to white. The automatic capability of the SOON telescope system allows the rapid collection of this brightness-area information on many active regions on the sun. By using these data, quantitative measures, including instability, growth/decay rates, and precise areas for each active solar region, can be determined.
The observatories are operated by detachments of the 2nd Weather Group
at the following sites:
Telescopes at Palehua, Hawaii and on Ramey Air Force Base
, Puerto Rico have been shut down.
at Sacramento Peak.
Solar telescope
A solar telescope is a special purpose telescope used to observe the Sun. Solar telescopes usually detect light with wavelengths in, or not far outside, the visible spectrum.-Professional solar telescopes:...
at each site to monitor solar active regions at optical wavelengths. NGDC archives histograms of intensity versus area every minute for the active regions as well as magnetogram
Magnetogram
The term magnetogram has two meanings, used separately in the contexts of magnetic fields of the Sun and the Earth.In the context of the magnetic field of the Sun, the term magnetogram refers to a pictorial representation of the spatial variations in strength of the solar magnetic field...
s of the magnetic field structure and tachograms of plasma velocities on an irregular schedule.
The basic SOON telescope is a 25-centimeter evacuated refractor mounted on a polar axis. It has a tunable monochromatic filter centered on the hydrogen-alpha absorption line (6562.8A) of the solar spectrum. Shifting the filter characteristics slightly off center from the H-alpha peak results in pictures of the solar surface region at differing depths. Corresponding to the optical images of solar regions are the digital "brightness-area" data. These data are often plotted as brightness-area histograms for a particular time or, in a 3-3-dimensional display, showing a time sequence of changing intensity of optical emissions from areas of solar active regions. Each digital scan of a region describes the amount of solar surface area within a pre-set rectangular viewing grid that is of brightness level N, where N ranges from 1 to 64 and represents the gray scale range from black to white. The automatic capability of the SOON telescope system allows the rapid collection of this brightness-area information on many active regions on the sun. By using these data, quantitative measures, including instability, growth/decay rates, and precise areas for each active solar region, can be determined.
The observatories are operated by detachments of the 2nd Weather Group
2nd Weather Group
The 2nd Weather Group, located at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., delivers timely, relevant and specialized terrestrial, space and climatological global environmental intelligence to Joint warfighters, the United States Department of Defense, US Government agencies and nations allied with the United...
at the following sites:
- RAAF LearmonthRAAF LearmonthRAAF Learmonth, also known as Learmonth Airport , is a joint use Royal Australian Air Force base and civil airport. It is located near the town of Exmouth on the north-west coast of Western Australia. As an RAAF base, Learmonth is one of the RAAF's three 'bare bases'...
, WA, Australia - Holloman AFB, New Mexico, USA
- San Vito dei Normanni Air Station, San Vito dei NormanniSan Vito dei NormanniSan Vito dei Normanni is an Italian town of 19,947 inhabitants of the province of Brindisi in Puglia. The inhabitants are called Sanvitesi and the town is sometimes referred to as San Vito....
, Italy (contractor-run site)
Telescopes at Palehua, Hawaii and on Ramey Air Force Base
Ramey Air Force Base
Ramey Air Force Base is a former United States Air Force base in Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. In addition to a small on-site Air Force detachment, and occasional operations by the Puerto Rico Air National Guard, a portion of the former Air Force Base is operated by the United States Coast Guard as Coast...
, Puerto Rico have been shut down.
Improved Solar Observing Optical Network
The planned Improved Solar Observing Optical Network (ISOON) is intended to replace the current SOON network. As of 2009, ISOON only exists at a single pilot site at the National Solar ObservatoryNational Solar Observatory
The mission of the National Solar Observatory is to advance knowledge of the Sun, both as an astronomical object and as the dominant external influence on Earth, by providing forefront observational opportunities to the research community...
at Sacramento Peak.
See also
- Radio Solar Telescope NetworkRadio Solar Telescope NetworkThe Radio Solar Telescope Network is a network of solar observatories maintained and operated by the U.S.Air Force Weather Agency. The RSTN consists of ground-based observatories in Australia, Italy, Massachusetts, New Mexico and Hawaii.- History :...
- Global Oscillation Network Group
- GOESGeostationary Operational Environmental SatelliteThe Geostationary Satellite system, operated by the United States National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service , supports weather forecasting, severe storm tracking, and meteorology research. Spacecraft and ground-based elements of the system work together to provide a continuous...
Solar X-ray ImagerSolar X-ray Imager-Operation:The Solar X-ray Imager aboard the GOES 12, GOES 13, GOES 14, and GOES 15 United States NOAA weather satellites is used for early detection of solar flares, coronal mass ejections, and space phenomena that impact human spaceflight and military and commercial satellite communications... - Synoptic Optical Long-term Investigations of the Sun