Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO)
Kartavya Desk Staff
Source: DD News
Subject: Science and Technology
Context: Scientists from ARIES, IIA and global collaborators have reconstructed over 100 years of the Sun’s polar magnetic history using archival data from the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO).
About Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (KoSO):
• What it is? KoSO is one of India’s oldest and globally renowned solar observatories, conducting continuous solar observations for more than 120 years.
• KoSO is one of India’s oldest and globally renowned solar observatories, conducting continuous solar observations for more than 120 years.
• Location: Situated in the Palani Hills, Tamil Nadu, KoSO functions as a field station of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru.
• History:
• Established in 1899. Systematic solar imaging in the Ca II K wavelength began in 1904, creating one of the world’s longest solar data archives.
• Established in 1899.
• Systematic solar imaging in the Ca II K wavelength began in 1904, creating one of the world’s longest solar data archives.
• Key Features:
• Continuous solar observations for over a century — among the longest consistent solar records globally. Multi-wavelength imaging of the chromosphere capturing plages, sunspot groups, magnetic networks. A digitised database now publicly available, enabling global scientific access.
• Continuous solar observations for over a century — among the longest consistent solar records globally.
• Multi-wavelength imaging of the chromosphere capturing plages, sunspot groups, magnetic networks.
• A digitised database now publicly available, enabling global scientific access.
About Sun’s Magnetic Future:
• What it is? The Sun’s magnetic future refers to the predicted behaviour of its polar magnetic fields—key drivers of the 11-year solar cycle, sunspots, flares, and geomagnetic storms.
• The Sun’s magnetic future refers to the predicted behaviour of its polar magnetic fields—key drivers of the 11-year solar cycle, sunspots, flares, and geomagnetic storms.
• Breakthrough:
• ARIES-led researchers reconstructed the Sun’s polar magnetic fields from 1904 to 2022 by analysing KoSO’s Ca II K images. They used Rome-PSPT data, AI-based feature recognition, and Polar Network Index (PNI) to identify faint bright structures near the poles. These structures act as proxies for magnetic field strength before direct polar field measurements began in 1976.
• ARIES-led researchers reconstructed the Sun’s polar magnetic fields from 1904 to 2022 by analysing KoSO’s Ca II K images.
• They used Rome-PSPT data, AI-based feature recognition, and Polar Network Index (PNI) to identify faint bright structures near the poles.
• These structures act as proxies for magnetic field strength before direct polar field measurements began in 1976.
• Significance:
• Offers the first reliable, century-long reconstruction of solar magnetism. Helps predict the strength of ongoing Solar Cycle 25 and future solar activity. Crucial for forecasting solar storms that can disrupt GPS, communications, satellites, aviation, and power grids.
• Offers the first reliable, century-long reconstruction of solar magnetism.
• Helps predict the strength of ongoing Solar Cycle 25 and future solar activity.
• Crucial for forecasting solar storms that can disrupt GPS, communications, satellites, aviation, and power grids.