On Tuesday, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) introduced the initial images from CCOR-1, a groundbreaking advancements in space weather monitoring. This coronagraph, the first of its kind in operational space-based systems, is attached to the GOES-19 satellite and began its mission on September 19, 2024.
CCOR-1 is set to revolutionize our understanding of solar activity by capturing fresh images of the sun’s corona every 15 minutes. It uses an occulting disk—a dark blue circle in the images—to block the sun’s bright light, unveiling the usually obscured corona.
As NOAA’s Spann noted, Coronal Mass Ejections (CMEs) resemble bursts of electrified gas, mainly composed of electrons and protons, racing at incredible speeds. Importantly, the CME currently being studied is not heading towards Earth, which is evident in the imaging that shows it behind the occulting disk.
Understanding space weather is crucial given its potential effects on our planet. While solar storms can create breathtaking auroras when they interact with Earth’s magnetic field, they can also disrupt satellites, communication networks, and even pose threats to astronauts in space. Therefore, early detection is vital.
Spann highlighted the less visible effects: geomagnetic storms caused by CMEs can create currents in power lines, potentially damaging transformers and affecting transportation systems like railways, along with GPS and communication networks.
By monitoring the sun every 15 minutes, CCOR-1 aims to enhance our ability to predict the repercussions of CMEs effectively. This is a marked improvement from past coronagraphs that could take hours to relay data back to the NOAA.
CCOR-1 is just the start of NOAA’s efforts to bolster solar monitoring. The agency intends to launch additional instruments along the sun-Earth line and even in orbit around the sun as part of its Space Weather Follow-On and Space Weather Next initiatives.
Currently, GOES-19 is engaged in post-launch testing and system evaluations. Once it officially begins its role as NOAA’s GOES East satellite in spring 2025, its findings will be incorporated into the Space Weather Prediction Center’s forecasting systems.