Solar Flare Kernel: Aditya-L1’s Breakthrough

Context:

This analysis details India’s Aditya-L1 mission capturing a solar flare ‘kernel,’ a significant milestone in solar research announced on March 20, 2025. The piece explains the kernel’s relevance, Aditya-L1’s role, and recent global solar missions, providing insights into space weather and scientific advancements as of March 22, 2025.

Crisp Information in Points:

1. Solar Flare Kernel Discovery: Aditya-L1’s Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT) captured the first-ever solar flare ‘kernel’ in the Sun’s lower atmosphere (photosphere and chromosphere), announced on March 20, 2025.
2. What is a Solar Flare?: A sudden burst of radiation and particles from the Sun’s magnetic energy release, impacting Earth’s space weather, as seen in the X6.3-class flare on February 22, 2024.
3. Kernel Significance: The kernel, a brightening in the near-ultraviolet (NUV, 200-400 nm) range, reveals energy transfer from the Sun’s surface to its corona, a previously unstudied detail.
4. Aditya-L1 Mission: Launched September 2, 2023, by ISRO, India’s first solar mission studies the Sun from Lagrange Point L1, 1.5 million km from Earth, with seven payloads including SUIT and VLEC.
5. Payload Role - SUIT: Captures UV images of the photosphere and chromosphere, enabling detailed observation of solar flare dynamics and UV radiation effects on Earth’s climate.
6. Payload Role - VLEC: The Visible Emission Line Coronagraph images the solar corona in visible and infrared wavelengths, aiding study of coronal mass ejections (CMEs).
7. Solar Cycle Context: The find aligns with the solar maximum (peak activity phase), driving increased flares and CMEs, with NOAA suggesting the current cycle nears its peak in 2025.
8. Global Solar Missions: Alongside Aditya-L1, NASA’s PUNCH (launched March 11, 2025) and ESA’s Proba-3 (December 5, 2024) reflect a surge in solar studies during this active period.
9. Space Weather Impact: Flares disrupt satellites, GPS, power grids, and radio communications; understanding kernels enhances prediction and mitigation strategies.
10. Scientific Value: The kernel data advances knowledge of solar physics, energy distribution, and long-term solar variations, supporting climate and space weather forecasting.

Key Terms:

• Solar Flare: Sudden eruption of solar radiation and particles affecting space weather.
• Kernel: Brightened region in a flare’s lower atmosphere indicating energy transfer.
• Aditya-L1: India’s first solar mission observing the Sun from L1 point.
• SUIT: Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope capturing UV solar images.
• VLEC: Visible Emission Line Coronagraph studying the solar corona.
• Solar Maximum: Peak of the 11-year solar cycle with heightened activity.
• CMEs: Coronal Mass Ejections, large expulsions of plasma and magnetic fields from the Sun.

Link To The Original Article – https://indianexpress.com/article/upsc-current-affairs/upsc-essentials/knowledge-nugget-solar-flare-kernel-upsc-aditya-l1-sun-9898137/