The solar eclipse on April 8, 2024 is sure to be very special. An event that will attract the audience's attention not just because of the natural question. In fact, NASA organized the launch of three sounding rockets during the upcoming solar eclipse. The goal is to advance the study How is the Earth's upper atmosphere affected? Moment The sunlight continues to dim Moments on a part of our planet.

Ionosphere

NASA will launch three Atmospheric disturbances around the path of the eclipse (APEP) from the Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia. They will begin analyzing disturbances in the ionosphere, at the point when the moon blocks the sun.

This is by no means the first test of this kind, given what happened relatively recently. Let's talk about the launch of sounding rockets from the White Sans Test Facility in New Mexico in October 2023, during an annular solar eclipse.

Three speakers designed for the largest possible number of launches Three different moments. In fact, the first will begin 45 minutes before the eclipse, the second during the event, and the third 45 minutes after the peak arrives locally. How is the ionosphere affected? Because of the sudden disappearance of the sun? Important data will be collected in order to understand, study and prevent disturbances that could potentially interfere with our communications on Earth.

When we talk about the ionosphere, we are referring to a region of our atmosphere located between 90 and 500 kilometers above the Earth's surface. Here are the words Show him BarjatyaThe engineering physics professor leading the mission said: “The ionosphere is an electrified area, which reflects and refracts radio signals, and also affects satellite communications, as signals pass through it. Gaining a better understanding of this field through developing models can help us predict disturbances. “It is crucial to ensure that our world, which is increasingly reliant on communications, continues to function unimpeded.”

Missile launch

Sounding rockets launched by NASA are expected to arrive Altitude does not exceed 420 km. Each of them will measure the density of charged and neutral particles, as well as ambient electrical and magnetic changes. However, as mentioned, this will happen at different stages: before, during and after the eclipse.

Four secondary tools will be output. The dimensions are the same as a 2-litre bottle, which will measure the same data, Barjatya explained. In this way it is as if the results are obtained from the total well 15 missilesalthough “only” three were released.

Other teams in the United States will take measurements of the ionosphere, not using additional rockets, but by alternative means. The team will launch a series of balloons at high altitudes. However, another will use ground radar to obtain the desired results. A set of investigations that will contribute to providing a complete puzzle, in order to obtain a perfect picture of the dynamics of the ionosphere. All this is of great importance also because the next total solar eclipse on the territory bordering the United States of America will not occur before 2044.